


City of a Hundred Spires

by delorita, JC Oakenshield (SilverFountains)



Category: Being Human (UK)
Genre: Anal Sex, Bad!Mitchell, Bi-Curiosity, Bisexual Male Character, Bloodplay, Dubious Consent, Falling In Love, Gay Sex, Heartache, Heterosexual Sex, Killing, Love Confessions, Multi, Power Dynamics, Prequel, Rare Fandoms, Rare Pairings, Sexual Experimentation, Threesome - F/M/M, Vampire History, Vampires, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-08-20 09:33:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 49,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8244517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delorita/pseuds/delorita, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFountains/pseuds/JC%20Oakenshield
Summary: Prequel to Somewhere I Belong.Our artistic interpretation of Mitchell's first encounter with Ivan and Daisy and how their relationship evolved from there.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Somewhere I Belong](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3707135) by [delorita](https://archiveofourown.org/users/delorita/pseuds/delorita), [JC Oakenshield (SilverFountains)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFountains/pseuds/JC%20Oakenshield), [SilverFountains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFountains/pseuds/SilverFountains). 



_Prague, 1951_

Mitchell whistles after the woman with the brown curly hair as she walks coquettishly in front of him, swaying her hips, her colourful skirt bouncing from side to side. No normal woman walks like that unless she has a very certain profession, but he hasn’t had a nice fuck in a while and she’s exactly his type. He licks his lips and puts his hands into his pockets, walking a little faster to catch up with her.

 _Nice catch!_ Ivan follows the young man with his eyes as he pushes himself off the wall and tries to catch up with Daisy. From his vantage point he can see where she is leading the stranger and he walks a little faster also so that they will meet each other at the same point as soon as their prey has caught up with her. _Didn’t take long at all, the guy must be gagging for it._

He grins, letting his tongue dart along his still human teeth as he looks forward to their meal. Tonight is their ten-year wedding anniversary and he had promised Daisy she could pick out dinner. He knows by the time he gets to drink the blood will be laced with the sweet taste of his arousal. He can almost smell his pheromones from here.

The closer Mitchell gets the more he yearns to sink his fangs into her pale skin. Her neck is covered by her hair but her sleeveless dress leaves enough for the imagination. He can’t wait to turn her around and let his eyes and then his hands slide over her breasts. She has a very nice backside, not too skinny and not too fat, so he imagines her bosom will be exactly the same. Very well proportioned. 

He wonders if she’ll fight or if she’ll go along with his advances. Of course he’ll try to kiss her first, play with his charm, his good looks. He isn’t out to just feed tonight. He wants to have some fun with his food first. Herrick is always in such a hurry. He sure doesn’t like that. They have all the time in the world.

Daisy smiles to herself in satisfaction as she hears the footsteps behind her close in. She knows Ivan is watching them, following them. Such a delightful game. It makes her tingle with excitement. She didn't get a good look at the guy just yet but from what she had glimpsed he was more than alright. Ivan had promised her she could have some fun tonight. She can barely wait now. One more street. It's a good spot that. Rarely does anyone pass by that courtyard. And it's close enough to Ivan's place but not so close that they can't use it again.

Really close now. She can smell the guy already. Or can she? Just as she is about to turn the last corner her senses spark with alert as she picks up his supernatural vibe. And she comes to an abrupt hold.

 _Vampire. Damn. And here I thought I’d get a nice fresh human meal._ Mitchell is a little disappointed and he just knows that as she stops she has had his scent in her nostrils too. He makes up his mind quickly though, because he’s stared for so long at her backside that it is too late to turn back. His cock is very interested. He’ll just have to find his dinner somewhere else a little later.

“Good evening Miss Beauty,” he says as he closes the distance between them very swiftly and breathes against her hair, “Like to play?”

In a flash he is pinned against the wall, his neck in a firm lock.

Ivan had started to get his suspicions just moments before. The guy moved just a little too fast in the darkness, a little too confidently. And as soon as Daisy had stopped he knew for sure. He doesn't mind her fucking their prey first. He rather enjoys watching her play with her food. But another vampire on his patch, that's a different matter altogether.

“Get out,” he hisses in the younger vampire’s ear.

“ **You get out**!” Mitchell senses that the guy is older than him but he’s learned a few tricks of his own. He throws his head back and hears the other’s chin crack and he feels his grip loosening a fraction. He quickly slips out and punches the other exactly on the same spot where he hit him with his head.

Daisy begins laugh as she watches the young vampire scrap with her husband. She leans back against the wall, enjoying this rather unexpected entertainment. Most other vampires they'd met over the years cowered before Ivan. Seeing one fight back makes a nice difference that adds to her excitement.

Ivan howls, his fangs shooting out instantly. “ **You little bastard!** ” he snarls, trying to turn himself so that he can pin the intruder underneath him. But the other is fast and surprisingly strong for his age which can't be more than fifty years at a guess.

Mitchell dances out of the taller man’s reach, clearly spurred on by the beautiful woman’s laughter. “What makes you think she wants you?” he mocks, “I got here first.”

Daisy is in hysterics now and she walks over to the younger vampire, teasing herself into his space.

Ivan pushes himself up onto his elbows, wiping the blood from his mouth. “ **She's my wife!** ” he growls at Mitchell.

Now Mitchell bursts out laughing, grabbing her around the hips, “Well, then you shouldn’t let her go out alone like that, inviting other men … “ he steals a kiss from her lips and then swiftly jumps away a few steps, knowing the older vampire will surely try and go for him again. _Now this is fun._

Daisy grins in delight as the young challenger dares to defy Ivan so blatantly. “Oh Ivan, he's cute!” she purrs as she kneels down by her partner. “And so handsome. Surely we can still play?” she pouts.

Mitchell loves the little pout he sees around her tempting lips. His cock twitches as he thinks about those sharp little fangs that are hidden there. And now that he has the perfect view of her cleavage, his mouth waters. “You won't deny your wife a little fun, will you?” Mitchell can’t help but tease the upset guy again.

Ivan scrambles to his feet. He does not like how this fledgling is making him look like a fool and in any other circumstances he would have shown him who's boss. But somehow the other intrigues him. His bravado is admirable if not a little foolish. And he has to agree with his woman that he is very fine looking too. Dark curls bouncing around his fine face. Sophisticated and yet youthful and rebellious. A little crazy for sure. But that he likes in his partners; after all Daisy is completely bonkers.

And he had promised her she could choose tonight's entertainment even if this wasn't quite what he had had in mind.

He brushes his suit down and takes a step towards the reckless youth. “You think you can handle her, hm?” he challenges, his darkside back under control.

“Sure.” Mitchell steps closer again and twirls her hair around his finger, looking deep into her eyes. Then he slaps her playfully on her nice arse, letting his fangs drop.

“Oooooh, he _does_ want to play,” Daisy squeals as she wraps her arms around her new interest. “Please baby,” she pleads in a childish voice, as she flutters her eyelashes at Ivan, “can we take him home with us?”

Ivan looks at the two of them, considering Daisy’s request. He wants to feed, more so because he'd been looking forward to it than that the hunger is plaguing him right now. But equally the hunt, the anticipation of the kill and the adrenaline of the unexpected fight, not to discount watching Daisy rub herself up against a very fine young vampire indeed has also sparked his arousal.

He smiles a wicked smile at the young man. “You seem very sure of yourself. Do you even know who I am?”

“Does that matter?” Mitchell blows the curl that fell loose from his fringe out of his vision. He loves the way the woman is rubbing her hotness against him. He can feel that she’s wearing no panties and he actually wants to sink his dick into her right here and now.

“He's one of the Old Ones,” Daisy breathes into Mitchell’s ear. Her hand slides down his nice crisp shirt, slowly down towards his crotch. “See, you are in the presence of vampire royalty.”

“Oh oh!” Mitchell mocks, not fazed at all. _So what?!_ He slides his hand ever so slowly up her thigh and around towards the inside, creeping higher and higher, watching the other guy very alertly though. One never knows.

Ivan's hand shoots out and locks around Mitchell’s wrist “I'm not sure whether to think you brave or just plain stupid,” he whispers against Mitchell’s lips, mere millimetres away. “Perhaps the question should have been, can you handle _me_?”

Mitchell feels a jolt go through his body at the supernatural grip around his wrist. He stares into the other’s eyes and involuntarily licks his lips and his fangs drop on their own accord. He feels just a little bit intimidated, “ **Try me,”** he growls anyway.

Daisy throws her head back gleefully, cackling into the silent night. She has to agree with Ivan though, that this one does seem to let his cock rule his sensibility, but so what. She just hopes Ivan won't rip his throat out. The new guy is far too pretty for that.

“Blindfold him,” Ivan orders. If he's taking this one to his lair he does not want the other to be able to find it again afterwards. It had taken him long enough to find a nice place in the old part of his home town, away from the two tribes that rule the city and without any hassle from the humans around him. He has no intention of letting this child fuck that up.

Mitchell chuckles when Daisy ties her scarf around his head. He’s never been interested in men before, but this attractive vampire has a certain spark and attitude that makes his senses even more alert and enhanced with lust as they already are from the beautiful woman. He doesn’t exactly know what this night will bring and if it might not end in complete disaster, but so far it has been very interesting and entertaining.

“Let's go then, handsome,” Daisy licks Mitchell’s earlobe before pushing him forward. “Don't leave your elder waiting now,” she giggles, wondering what Ivan has planned for this curious catch.

Ivan walks ahead of them at a furious pace. He's not sure that this is the right thing to do. They'd taken plenty of humans back to their nest but since they never left again that didn't matter. Another vampire though is reckless. Tension between the two tribes is high and he wonders which this one belongs to. It's unusual to see a vampire hunting on his own these days, vulnerable to the rival hunters. After the war food has been scarce and people are suspicious. And already some of the fledglings had been staked by members of their rival tribe.

Ivan does not want to get involved, does not want to be seen to sympathise with one side or the other. He just wants to fuck this one now. To dominate his challenger and release the heavy desire in the pit of his stomach. It's been a long time since he had a male. Since he turned Daisy he had not had another; even if she was not monogamous he had enjoyed watching her promiscuity but never before had he had the desire to partake himself. But then, the guys had always been human. She fucked them into oblivion whilst he watched from the shadows, palming his pulsing cock. It had become almost necessary for his release over the years to watch her drop her human facade, to hear her victim scream and then choke on his own blood as she ripped him apart at the height of his climax. And Ivan would come too then, his eyes black and his fangs out as he ejaculated, before joining her in their post orgasmic meal.

But this one… He wants to bury his cock inside that arrogant arse. He wants to see if this guy really _can_ handle him. He is surprised by his own feelings. But this beautiful vampire has stirred an unexpected admiration in him already.

As they walk briskly after Ivan, Mitchell can feel the woman’s heavy arousal matching his. He isn’t able to sense anything from the older vampire since he just knows how to avoid to get into Mitchell’s nostrils.  He curses a little about that fact. He knows though, that the girl rather than woman, has barely grown out of baby vampire’s shoes.

“Do you live in the suburbs or what?” he teases, “How long is this gonna take until I can admire your pussy?”

Daisy loves how this one is so crude. How he is so blatantly desperate to show her a good time not caring about the fact that her powerful husband walks only a few meters ahead of them. Ivan had taken her by surprise agreeing to take this one back to their nest. And she wonders briefly how this night will play out. “Nearly there, handsome,” she whispers in Mitchell’s ear, stroking his jaw. “Can't wait either.”

Mitchell grins in satisfaction and bends a little closer, “That husband of yours, does he like to watch?” Even though he doesn’t show any respect to the outside, he starts to get a little edgy now since they’ll bring him into a closed space. He can feel the power radiate from the tall man and doesn’t really know if that is a good or a bad thing. Of course he could easily rip down the blindfold and still get away but his dick says otherwise. He’s had worse before so he decides to make up his mind a little later. He just loves the adrenaline high of risk so much.

“He does,” Daisy chuckles, squeezing her captive’s fine ass as they stop. “Does that turn you on?” she breathes against his neck, tempted to bite him there and then but knowing Ivan will not let her play if she does.

Mitchell just chuckles, feeling how close she is, feeling her hunger. He won't tell her anything about himself. Way too dangerous. But as he turns he smells a faint wave of heavy male arousal and that makes him grin even wider. He doesn’t do guys, but having a horny husband watching his wife get fucked by him surely adds to the fun. He lets his hand slide onto her bare buttock beneath her skirt. 

Ivan turns the key in the lock and pushes the door open. Without a word he ascends the stairs to his apartment. Somewhere in the back of his mind this all still feels like a really bad idea, but his hard cock demands that he sees this through to completion now.

He unlocks the second door and flicks on the dim light. Even though he doesn't necessarily need it, he likes his old habits like that.

Without looking back, he walks straight into their bedroom. This guy isn't here to have a polite conversation and a smoke with after all. He's not interested in getting to know him, in fact it's better if he knows nothing about the guy at all and vice versa.

Daisy gently pushes Mitchell up the stairs and through into the apartment. As soon as they're inside, she closes the door, pushes him after Ivan and takes off the blindfold. “Welcome to our love nest, handsome,” she purrs, and presses her lips against those beautiful full ones.

Mitchell takes a swift glance around, grinning at the fact that they’re already in the bedroom and a very fine, modern one at that. But even though it looks very pristine, he can smell the human blood almost in every corner. “Nice,” he says, looking at Ivan directly now, taking off his suit jacket. “Your dining room?”

Ivan does not respond. He just silently lets his eyes roam over the stranger. He likes what he sees, now that he has the time to admire this one fully. Sleek, fine build. Heavy eyebrows above deep brown eyes. Strong jaw. And as his eyes slide slowly down he smirks at the bulge in the man's slacks.

Daisy throws herself onto the large bed, her skirt riding up to leave little to the imagination. “Well?” she invites, her hands cupping her breasts unashamedly.

Mitchell licks his lips, his cock twitching in his trousers. He follows her unceremoniously onto the bed and on top of her, rubbing his still covered hard on against her bare pelvis. “Care to tell me your name?” he murmurs as he leans above her and nuzzles his nose against her neck, getting even more aroused by her vampire and female scent mixed now. He lets his fangs graze the vein in her neck, teasing. One of his hands finds it’s way beneath the material of her bra, rolling a already hard nipple.

“Nnghf,” Daisy moans softly as she grinds herself up against her lover. She rolls her head back and meets Ivan's gaze. Her husband shakes his head a little, but she ignores him anyway as her hands dig into the dark curls of the younger vampire. “Daisy,” she whispers. “And yours?”

“Mitchell,” he murmurs softly into her ear, only for her to hear. His tongue travelling down her bare throat now, “Wanna help me with my fly?” he invites, needing her hands on him desperately. Ignoring her husband but still very aware of his eyes on them. He hasn’t survived thirty-five years by being foolish.

Daisy grins, her hands already pulling at the button of his trousers. She loves how desperate Mitchell is to get down to business and she is hot and wet for him now as she spreads her legs more. Having Ivan watch is nothing new. However, for the guy on top of her to be aware of him, that adds a whole new level of arousal.

Ivan remains standing at the side of the bed, quietly observing the young man as he tries to shed his clothes. He does not touch himself yet even though his erection is pressing almost painfully against the fabric of his trousers now.

“I can smell your wetness for me, Daisy,” Mitchell whispers into her other ear as he slides his fingers between her thighs, higher and higher until he can feel her moist fanny, all swollen and hot for him. He rubs her clit expertly, grinning down at her, fangs out, eyes dark. He sees the vein in her neck, faintly blue. Even though it is not pulsing, he wants to taste her anyway. His cock rubbing against her thigh as it’s finally free, smearing precome across her soft skin.

“Fuck me then,” Daisy mewls, riding onto those wicked fingers. After all the humans of late having such a horny and clearly very experienced vampire between her thighs is a delightful experience. She pulls her skirt up further, wrapping her legs around Mitchell.

Mitchell slides effortlessly into her since she’s so ready and willing, unlike some of his food. He doesn’t like that much, when they’re all rigid with fear. He prefers a more playable companion until he finally rams his fangs into their throats to indulge in all the warm, fresh human blood.

This is different though. He fucks the vampire girl beneath him nice and slow, loves how her inner walls squeeze him in all the right places. He rips her blouse open and licks her perfect breasts in broad stripes with his tongue.

Daisy moans in delight as he fills her with his nice big cock. He takes good care of her too, not like some of the desperate and somewhat drunk mortals she's slept with of late. This one, this gorgeous vampire, knows how to fuck like a gentleman.

She indulges in his very unique scent. Curls up to meet his thrusts. “Mmm yes!”

Ivan can't restrain himself any longer, as he pulls open his trousers and takes out his manhood, stroking it leisurely as he watches the younger vampire fuck his wife. His eyes are alert but hooded. His vampire blood pulses rhythmically through his veins, his arousal now very tangible.

Mitchell pulls out of Daisy and then rubs his hard one across her wet, pulsing pussy several times before he sinks into her again, “Such a hot woman,” he groans, gently piercing the skin close to one of her nipples, thumbing the hard peck and tasting the first droplets of her vampire blood. _Very nice!_

Daisy keens loudly, her own fangs out now too. She comes instantly when Mitchell bites her so sensually, pulling him in even harder.

Groaning softly, Ivan pulls harder at his dick as he sees and hears Daisy come on the guy’s cock. _Wicked girl!_ he smirks.

Mitchell moans loudly as he feels her pulse madly around him, hot and wet and juicy. He sucks her other nipple now as though his life depends on it, fucking her rough and hard, feeling his climax close.

Ivan hesitates for just a moment. They'd never crossed this boundary before. But with Daisy already lost once and the guy clearly close to his climax too he knows he has to move quickly if he wants to get a piece of the fun.

He lets his trousers drop to the floor and kicks them off, together with his shoes. And without a word he crawls onto the bed with the other two. He initially lays himself beside them and strokes his hand along Daisy’s soft cheek. “Does he feel good inside you, pumpkin?” he asks thickly.

Mitchell is startled out of his bliss for a moment, blinking wide eyed at the other guy, “ **What the fuck?** ” he blurts out in his pre orgasmic fog, baring his bloody fangs at Daisy’s husband, feeling his climax getting just that closer as the anger hits him of being interrupted like that.

But Ivan is not deterred by the reckless youth. “I said you could fuck her, **if you could handle _me_** ,” he grins, showing Mitchell his true self now too.

Without warning he pushes Mitchell off Daisy and onto his back, pinning him underneath him. His own hard cock presses against the wet erection of the younger man.

Mitchell stares wide eyed at the other vampire, his fangs throbbing and his cock as well. He gulps as he’s so harshly ripped out of that nice hot cavern he was going to spend his load in. “ **HEY!”** He wants to fight the other guy off but that’s when he realizes his cock is still stimulated nicely. He looks down and sees a long, slender hard rod slide against his. The next words stop in his throat as he doesn’t know what to make of this.

Daisy can't believe what's just happened. For a moment she's dumb with surprise but then she begins to laugh as she rolls herself against the two men, stroking both of them. “Now this is nice,” she giggles wickedly. She is not sure what Ivan's intentions are. But seeing them both naked, cocks pressed against each other like they're crossing swords, is sending a new bolt of excitement through her.

Ivan grins at the surprise he sees in the younger man's face and takes advantage of his upper hand to crush his lips hard against the other’s. “ **Well?** ” he challenges. “ **Can you? Or was that all just talk, fledgling?** ”

“Course I can,” Mitchell answers even though he doesn’t have a clue what the other means. But he bucks upwards instinctively, wanting more of that friction. The kiss had taken him completely by surprise and his fangs had initially retreated. But _fledgling!?_ “ **Don’t ever call me that! Old One!”** He grabs the other’s head and smashes their mouths together in a bruising kiss of his own, rubbing himself madly at the strong form of his challenger to get his relief. Somewhere in his head a voice says _QUEER_ but he finds he could care less about that right now. All he wants is to come, either buried in the girl’s pussy again or from that guy’s hand.

Daisy’s eyes grow wide as she watches the two men kiss ferociously. She'd never expected Ivan to join in let alone take over like that, with a _guy!_ Nonetheless seeing them together just makes her even more horny.

“Now what?” she asks her husband, missing that lovely cock inside her already. She likes this turn of events but she wants to make sure that they have not forgotten about her.

Ivan grins and pushes himself off Mitchell again. “ **Fuck her,** ” he orders the younger one.

Mitchell again does a double take but is on top and inside of her within seconds. “ **FUCK!”** He loves her welcoming him again with her moist nether lips trembling and pulling him in.

Ivan moves quickly, before the young vampire gets a chance to register him or spend his load. Within the blink of an eye he's knelt between their tangle of legs and he presses the tip of his cock against the guy’s cleft.

Mitchell jolts, feeling the presence and power behind him, his buttocks spread. But he keeps on moving in and out of Daisy, her body too delicious to resist. He smears the blood that seeps out of her tiny puncture marks onto her boobs and her taut stomach and laps it up again, enjoying the blood play he never can have with a too fast dying human victim.

“ **Yes! Keep. Going!** ” Daisy snarls, dragging her nails across Mitchell’s bare back. She knows that Ivan is behind the other vampire but she's too far gone into the rush of the bloody sex and her dark side to care about anything more than that, all but passed out on the high of it all.

Ivan is impressed that the youngster doesn't yet try to fight him off. The movement of the squeeze of his buttocks as the man pumps his hips causes delightful friction against Ivan's sensitive tip.

He spits in his hand to slick up his dick just a little bit before draping himself over the other, pushing in and down in a forceful movement.

Mitchell's first impulse is to rear up and smash the other against the nearby wall. But his brain is too foggy from his approaching orgasm as Daisy had spurred him on so fiercely.

The pain he feels in his backside is cruel for a moment but it subsides to a rather impressive fullness. When he realises the reserved man is fucking him, owning him, he spends his whole load into Daisy, aroused by the fact that he's desired that way and not killed. The grunts of the other are very ragged in his ear as he holds both of them up over Daisy, kissing her fiercely, scraping her tongue with his fangs. He's torn if he likes being owned or not. The cock in his arse is something so alien to him that he can't wrap his mind around just yet.

Ivan struggles to keep his normally rigid control. After more than a decade of only ever having sex with Daisy, having a different partner is arousing in itself, but being buried deep in the backside of a guy once again is beyond explanation. He had expected the other to try and fight him off by now. Going by his focus on Daisy and how he had shown no interest in him so far, he didn't think the younger vampire had been taken by a man before but now he isn't completely sure.  And as the other clenches his tight channel even more, howling his orgasm spectacularly, he thinks he must be at least enjoying some of it.

It encourages the older vampire. He would have taken him regardless as his need to fuck the guy's brains out is so much greater than his thirst right now; the price to pay for screwing his wife. But it's much more satisfying to have the handsome vampire accept him willingly, knowing that he gives as well as takes pleasure. 

He pushes himself up again and grabs the guy’s arse cheeks with his broad hands, pulling them further apart and giving him something to hold onto as he drives up the pace.

Daisy can feel the shockwaves of Mitchell being driving into her again and again even though he's already spend. She opens her eyes and is surprised to see Ivan thrusting into Mitchell. _He is fucking him! He's got his damned dick inside his hole!_ Initially a jealous sting shoots through her. For all the time they'd been together Ivan had never touched anyone else for as far as she knew. And although she loves him watching her playing with other guys, for the tables to suddenly be turned on her like that, without any warning …

But it does feel good, to have Mitchell’s limp dick being pressed into her still. And to hear the two of them grunting and groaning, Mitchell in what appears to be somewhere between a cry of pain and pleasure and Ivan clearly losing more and more of his pristine restraint…

“You like that do you,” she grins at Mitchell’s strained face, bucking herself up again to get as much friction as possible. “Having his cock up your arse.”

" **Fuck, YES!** " His surrender was faster out of his mouth than he'd planned to. He didn't know sex like this existed. This hits so many different pleasure buttons all at once. There is one especially the other guy drills again and again that makes him see stars and his erection inside Daisy grows again.

He actually loves the almost brutal part of it, no restraint, just animal strength. " **Bite me,** " he gasps, his fangs tingling.

Ivan reacts instantly, pulling Mitchell’s head back forcefully by his hair as he sinks his teeth into that sleek neck. Mitchell’s surprising admission to loving being fucked by him has sent a new surge of pleasure right into his cock. As soon as the special vampire blood floods his tongue Ivan climaxes, shooting his seed deep into the younger man's channel. He has to restrain himself so as not to break the young vampire's neck - which would not be terminal but painful nonetheless - as his orgasm hits him with such force.

Mitchell howls even louder as soon as those sharp teeth pierce his skin. He’s never let another vampire bite him. He doesn’t know where that strange urge came from, but it sends a deep surge of unknown pleasure through him. Ivan’s cum being pumped into him is the strangest, most arousing feeling he’s experienced so far in his life. He climaxes again himself into Daisy as she’s still gagging for it too, her teeth out and her eyes wild. Her breasts heaving with each stroke Ivan presses Mitchell into her.

Daisy can barely believe her luck. It feels somehow like both men are fucking her simultaneously, Ivan setting the rhythm to which Mitchell can only give in. She tries to curve herself up against them, but the push back is too great from the both of them and so she just collapses back, letting them shudder and trembling on top of her. She has lost count of how many times Mitchell has brought her to the edge of her senses. Few - no none! - have ever managed to sate her like that before. But between the both of them …

Ivan abruptly lets go of Mitchell. All of his strength seems to have left his body as he pushes himself off, stumbles backwards and lets himself drop onto the floor.

Mitchell senses his chance and is up from the bed and straddling the other’s body, his hands squeezing his windpipe, knowing it is painful if not harmful, “So what was that all about?” Even though he liked it immensely he can’t let the guy get away with it so easily, assaulting him from behind like that.

Ivan laughs softly. He doesn’t have the energy to argue with this youth right now. “Ivan,” he simply says when Mitchell releases his chokehold, smirking.

Mitchell groans and falls on the floor beside him, “Mitchell,” he chuckles.

“Nice to meet you, Mitchell,” Ivan sighs a little breathlessly. Then again, he stopped breathing properly a long time ago.

Daisy slowly crawls to the edge of the bed, smirking at both men. “Now that was different,” she grins at her husband.

Mitchell still thinks she’s very pretty and a real wicked doll; a baby though. But he can’t get over the fact how good it felt to have someone so powerful to play with, thinking of Ivan inside of him. “It certainly was different,” he winks at Daisy, clenching his arse muscles carefully. A very odd feeling still down there when he sits up on the floor, soiling it with white fluid.

Ivan pushes himself up off the floor, the feeling in his legs slowly returning. He bends down to press a long kiss on Daisy’s lips. “Happy wedding anniversary, pumpkin,” he smiles, before grabbing his trousers and his shirt and disappearing into the kitchen.

Daisy throws Mitchell another wicked glance, but then too jumps up. She bends down to kiss Mitchell on his wild curls before chasing after her husband, leaving the newcomer to come to his senses on his own.

 _Happy wedding anniversary?_ Mitchell feels really used now.

He decides to sit on the rumpled bed and take out a smoke, inhaling deeply, letting the events go through his head, coming to terms with the fact that he’s just been fucked by a guy.

***

“So,” Daisy purrs as she rubs herself up against Ivan in their tiny barely used kitchen, “I didn’t know that you like _that_.”

“Liked what?” Ivan answers flatly, tucking his shirt in.

“Well … A guy?” Daisy forces her husband to turn around. “You never wanted _that_ before …”

“How do you know,” Ivan retorts sharply. “You know nothing about me from _before_.”

Daisy scowls, feeling a little hurt by that, although it sure is true. Ivan never talks about his life before the war, bluntly refuses to. He says it’s retarded to talk about what's long passed when there's so much going on _right now_. That it is the thing that makes vampires lose their minds, getting stuck in their bloody past.

“Anyway, he's not just _a guy_ ,” Ivan softens his face and strokes her hair, not liking to see his princess upset like that. “He intrigued me.” He takes her face between his hands and kisses her again, more gentle this time. “He has spirit.”

Daisy laughs softly. “And he’s gorgeous,” she chuckles.

“Yes, that too,” Ivan smiles back.

“Have you got any alcohol in your pristine household?” Mitchell asks, interrupting their cosy family scene. He must admit to himself that he’s really at a loss now for what to do next. He’s never been in such a situation before. He wants to know more about these two. Normally when he fucks someone he is just done with it and walks away. But this couple is strong, matching his wicked ways and in the few moments he thought about it he came to the conclusion that he’d like to experiment with the guy … Ivan … again.

Ivan stares at the other man who walks into his kitchen stark naked, clearly feeling quite at home already. He is not sure what to do next. Normally this situation does not exist. Normally the guy that Daisy picks up lies bleeding out in their bedroom at this point. On the one hand he wants the other gone. They’ve had their fun but seeing this vampire walk around now like he lives here is making Ivan twitch uncomfortably. On the other hand, though, he finds he would like to know a little more about this one. Which tribe he belongs to. How long he has been in Prague since it's clear from his accent he is not from round here. Who his maker is. And whether he had had another guy up his rear before.

He doesn’t ask any of these questions yet though, just silently grabs some glasses and a bottle of aged red, which he pours, handing a glass to Mitchell.

Daisy stays close to Ivan’s side. She too isn’t familiar with this situation, but she is curious though, what happens next. She is relieved also that this one wasn’t human. That he is standing here, naked and steaming hot, not lying dead on the bed, as she really would like to have another go at that some point, fucking like crazy, all three of them.

“Thanks,” Mitchell says, and empties the glass in one. “What’s next?” he says out loud what everybody is thinking, feeling not in the slightest bit uncomfortable since the other two radiate as much cluelessness as he does. “We go hunting?”

“ _We?”_ Ivan raises an eyebrow and snorts. _“You_ had best be on your way,” he says, holding the other’s gaze.

“That’s rude,” Mitchell walks up to him, right into his personal space and pokes his bloody finger against Ivan’s still flawless shirt. “First you shove your dick up my arse to make yourself feel like the alpha wolf and then you don’t even offer me food?” he mocks, walking to Daisy and swiping his tongue across her collarbone, where the blood is drying.

“Are you complaining?” Ivan takes a sip from his wine. “You make it sound like you didn’t enjoy it now, but from where I was sitting you seemed to be having a rather good time of it all.” He takes a step forward, pushing Mitchell back with the flat of his hand, bending himself close. “I allowed you into my home. I let you fuck my wife. And I am letting you leave in one piece. If I were you, I would show a little more gratitude towards my hospitality.”

Mitchell laughs loudly at that and then nods his head, “Alright, fine. You win, you arrogant prick.” He turns on his heels, blows Daisy a kiss and goes for his clothes, putting them on swiftly.

Without so much of a glance at the other two vampires he strides past them towards the front door, yanking it open and slamming it loudly behind him, grinning to himself. _You forgot to blindfold me again, handsome! See you two soon._

Daisy pulls a sad face, wrapping herself around Ivan. “I liked him,” she sulks. “Why did you upset him? Should we go after him?”

But Ivan just smiles, caressing her face. “He will be back. Now, shall we go for a bite to eat. It is our wedding anniversary after all. And all that has stirred up my appetite.”


	2. Chapter 2

_I’ve been fucked by a guy._

That one sentence just wouldn’t go out of Mitchell’s head since days. He’s felt like Ivan’s cock is still up his arse for a long while after. He’s clenching his buttocks experimentally. It’s not pain. Of course it isn’t; he’s a vampire and even if the guy would have torn something with his forceful inward strokes it would be healed instantly after. It’s more of a phantom feeling. A feeling that arouses him. A feeling that makes his fangs tingle and his cock twitch in anticipation.

Mitchell tries very determinedly to push the arrogant stranger and his wicked wife out of his thoughts. But every time he goes hunting with Herrick or the gang now he hopes to accidentally meet the two again.

He prefers to go on the hunt alone these days anyway. The baby vamps are grating on his nerves with all their questions and childish behaviour. Meeting Ivan, even though he didn’t have the chance to talk to him properly, was a true challenge. He radiated knowledge, wisdom, charisma. All hidden behind a nonchalant surface. As much as he wants to feel that cock up his arse again, he’d actually like to talk to the guy too.

He frowns at the thought. He never was really interested in vampire history, because all he got from Herrick was who killed who. But with the other guy he suddenly had the feeling that there might be more to it than boring day to day stuff. And fuck was he bored out of his skull.

He huffs, pulling frustratedly at his cigarette, looking down into the Moldau as he stands in the middle of the Charles Bridge.

+++

_Mitchell_.

He had heard the name before; of that he is sure. He never forgets a name. Knowing who is who is key to survival in his world of tribal blood wars and revenge.

Mitchell …

Suddenly the light switches on inside his head. Mitchell. _John_ Mitchell. Herrick’s protégé. Hetty’s grandchild …

He begins to laugh softly to himself. At least he can be forgiven for not having been able to get the fledgling out of his head. The vampire had earned himself a reputation that preceded his years considerably. Tales of ferocious manhunts, of wild blood orgies. No wonder the man had not shied away from him at their first encounter or from the indecent proposal he and Daisy had made him.

In a way he feels a little aggrieved though. He had enjoyed submitting the younger man to his desires, overpowering him. And yet somehow knowing that this is Herrick’s pet makes the whole experience a little … distasteful. Whilst he normally does not give the slightest bit of crap about what any of the much younger vampires think of him, in this instance he secretly hopes that Mitchell has not bragged about his encounter with him and his wife. Not only does he not wish to become involved with Herrick and his tribe, but his escapades in the bedroom are private and he really does not want Herrick to know all about it. _None of his goddamn business!_

“Everything alright handsome?” Daisy purrs in his ear as he sits on the edge of the bed, wiping the blood off his face with a freshly laundered towel. “You seem distracted tonight.”

Ivan leans his head back to kiss her bloody mouth. “I need to go out for a little while. There is someone I need to see.”

Daisy cocks her head. She wants to ask Ivan if she can come, but she knows that he would have invited her along if that was the case. And so she rolls herself back on the bed, pushing the body that they had drained between them off the edge. “Don’t be long, please,” she pouts. “I will miss you.”

“I won’t,” Ivan smiles as he gets up, kissing her again. “Be good while I’m gone,” he jests, swiping her bottom lip with his thumb and sticking it in his mouth, licking off the human blood.

+++

Mitchell couldn’t resist. After two weeks of unsuccessfully trying to get Ivan out of his head he had to go to the street again where he knew Daisy and him lived. He actually exactly knows which house, but that would just be too awkward.

He had a hard time to steal himself away from the others. There was always one or two of the kids that followed him around constantly. He hated that. He doesn’t want to share his prey. He doesn’t like to share the killing anymore. He wants to do things on his own. And he likes to be the one to bring food to Herrick’s parties. And if there isn’t enough, he goes out and gets more because he can. Because he doesn’t need a watchdog or a babysitter. Speaking of dogs, sometimes when it's nearly full moon he even gets them a werewolf to entertain their guests with some dog fights. He grins at that thought but then pushes it away, not wanting to think about any of Herrick’s wicked games right now, just his own.

Tonight he doesn’t want a big party, or be treated like the prince, being the centre of everyone’s attention. Tonight he wants to find out about new ways, new ways of pleasure apart from killing.

He leans against a tree in the park at the crossing to Ivan’s street, smoking, waiting for   _the old one_  to appear.

+++

Ivan pulls the door shut behind him and feels for the tobacco in his pocket. He pulls up the collar of his long woollen coat a little and lights up, taking a long drag and blowing out the smoke slowly. He feels a little ridiculous standing here, determined about his goal for the night but not quite sure how to go about it. One thing is for sure, he will not go to Herrick. He just hopes that Mitchell still hunts alone, like he did the night that he first encountered him. And that somehow his senses will lead him to him.

With measured step he begins to walk down the cobbled street, keeping to the dark side of the alleyway as he always does out of habit, opposite the gas lights that throw interesting patterns across the stones. He has decided to head for the Jewish Quarter and from there make his way along the river towards the old bridge, thinking that starting at the place where he and Daisy had first seen Mitchell is probably his best bet.

+++

As Mitchell's keen eyes make out a lone figure walking in the dark shadows of the houses, he tries to make out from where he's standing if it's Ivan. The strong breeze that they have tonight is very much in his favour.

_Now look who walks there._ Mitchell can't believe his luck. And even alone. He grins to himself, waiting.

+++

Ivan senses that he is being watched the moment he crosses the street and his whole body switches to high alert in an instance. He stops at the other side of the street and slowly scans the park until his eyes rest on a dark figure leaning against one of the old oaks.

_Now that was easy. A little too easy perhaps,_ he thinks with suspicion. But the man appears to be alone and so he takes a few steps in the other vampire’s direction.

“Dobrý večer, John Mitchell,” he says softly when the other meets his eyes. His ears remain sharp to anyone who may be with Mitchell, hiding further in the shadows, but there is no-one else. “I see you like to keep the old fairy-tales alive, hanging out at graveyards.” He nods mockingly to the scattered gravestones of the Jewish cemetery a few hundred metres behind the other. “I should have known you were one for dramatics.”

Mitchell raises his eyebrows as the guy he had been looking for addresses him with his full name. "Dobrý večer, Ivan...?" he stops mid-sentence with an obvious question mark, feeling not in the slightest bit guilty for not having bothered to find out the other’s surname.

Ivan’s smile widens. He can appreciate that the foreigner greets him back in his native tongue. “Prochazka,” he says, extending his hand to the other man, “Ivan Prochazka.” Then he laughs at the oddity of formal introductions after having screwed the man to within an inch of his immortal life. “Well this is nice. I hope you weren’t thinking about hunting on my patch though,” he says in a low voice, holding the other’s hand as he scans his handsome features.

Mitchell shakes Ivan’s hand and grins, “Nice to meet you Mr Prochazka.”

“I think we have moved well beyond such formalities, don’t you,” Ivan snorts.

“Uhuh, I believe we have,” Mitchell feels very uncharacteristically embarrassed all of a sudden and changes the subject. “Not going to hunt in your territory, no.” He drags on his cigarette one last time and throws it away, “I’ve already fed.”

“Hm. Then why aren’t you with Herrick? Does he know you are here?” Ivan poses the direct question.

“Ohhh... Someone did his homework,” Mitchell chuckles, looking straight into Ivan’s eyes, a bit hidden by the brim of his hat, “No. Why would he?”

“You do not get to live for this long without doing your _homework_. Something you may wish to think about,” Ivan says coolly. He is relieved to know though that Herrick at least isn’t aware of this meeting and he hopes that means he does not know about their previous one either. “And why _are_ you here, Mitchell, if not to feed. You should know that it is not advisable for fledglings to stray outside their patch on their own …” he pushes, remembering the younger vampire sparking about being referred to as such before. He likes to remind him of his place though.

Mitchell’s hands are at Ivan’s collar as soon as he says _fledgling._ “Do **NOT** call me that again!” Then one of his hands let’s go and grabs the other’s crotch, “You know exactly why I am here.” Even though Mr Prochazka tried to be all polite and nonchalant again, Mitchell could smell his excitement and arousal as soon as he recognized him.

Ivan slowly peels Mitchell’s fingers loose and pushing him back against the tree. “You think I cannot take care of my wife without your _input_ ,” he hisses against Mitchell’s lips. “You may be the little princeling when you are at Herrick’s court, but to me you are just another one of his pets who is unlikely to see the turn of the century,” he growls, even though he knows that he is lying to both Mitchell and himself.

Now this is not really going according to plan. Mitchell thought they’d be able to talk to each other like adults but something in Ivan just makes the hairs on his neck stand up in fury. “One of his pets?” he huffs, baring his fangs to Ivan, but then lets it go, deciding to ignore his anger for a moment or they’ll be getting nowhere with this. Without a word he turns and starts to walk away from the park, wondering if Ivan will follow him or not.

_Fuck!_ Ivan groans internally. He really isn’t used to someone so young showing him such utter contempt. But he had come out here for a reason and that reason had nicely presented himself to him without too very much hassle. He isn’t now going to let the other just walk away even though his pride hurts as he chases after the younger vampire like a stray dog.

“Mitchell, where do you think you are going. Don’t you walk away from me,” he hisses under his breath.

Mitchell grins very pleasantly to himself. “I’m not. I want to show you something,” he says meaningfully, hands buried in his trouser pockets.

Ivan frowns. “Show me what?” Even though he is many years Mitchell’s elder and he would be able to hold himself against any other vampire in the city who would but dare look at him in the wrong way, he remains wary. Times are different now. The Old Ones have moved to South America; all but Hetty and he. And the new tribes are breeding powerful leaders. Even he needs to be on his guard these days.

Nonetheless he follows Mitchell across town against all his gut feelings as the handsome young man does not wait up or offer him an explanation.

 After walking through endless streets and alleyways Mitchell stops in front of a small house and unlocks the door, making sure Ivan is close behind him.

The older vampire looks up. The house looks unimpressive. Unobtrusive. Very much like his own. A perfect vampire nest. “This is yours?” he asks softly. He still hates himself for following the other here. Hates how needy he feels, his cock twitching inside his smart trousers as he breathes in Mitchell’s scent.   

“Yes, mine, come in,” Mitchell shoves the door open to let Ivan in first. His anger has evaporated during the long quick walk through the city. “Herrick doesn’t know anything about it,” he says proudly as he closes the door behind them, switching on the dim lights.

“Good,” Ivan says without thinking, curiously looking around. Simple furnishings. But a comfortable home nonetheless. And oddly absent of the pungent smell of human blood that lingers in his own place. 

He turns around to the younger vampire, throwing him a charming smile. He takes a step forward and reaches out tentatively, brushing one of Mitchell’s curls back behind his ear. “You want a repeat of the other night?” he says thickly.

Mitchell looks up sharply into the face of the man who is still a stranger to him, so close now. His behaviour is so different than before. The very tender gesture of stroking his hair back is completely alien to Mitchell. His stomach feels utterly light all of a sudden and he can’t help an almost non audible, “Yes,” sounding just as thickly as Ivan. He wants to say more but no words or any of the questions that tortured him all those days want to come out of his mouth.

Ivan’s grin widens to show the sharp ends of his canines, still hidden mostly. He is surprised that Mitchell had sought him out without even asking about Daisy. In a way being here without her bothers him. But not enough to reject the invitation.

He grabs Mitchell’s face between his hands and kisses him fiercely.

Mitchell surely hadn’t expected that but he kisses Ivan back just as hard, groaning into the kiss. It’s so much more powerful than the few kisses he shared with the feeble, human ladies. He grabs the other’s lapels again and pulls their bodies flush together.

“You are … remarkable,” Ivan breathes heavily. He pulls Mitchell in closer, his fingers roughly digging under the other man’s coat. His dark side is pulsing close under the surface, but not in defence or anger but in pure desire. Desire that he hasn't felt like this for a long time. A heavy, needy, deep arousal that curls through his stomach like a dragon.

Mitchell feels Ivan’s blood rush through him and his dick grow against his own, “So are you,” he gasps, trying to free him from his coat without ripping it apart. “I ... I need you again like that … “ he admits, swallowing his usual pride, begging.

Ivan pulls back a little from those tempting lips, grinning. “Show me the way,” he motions around the small apartment.

Mitchell drags Ivan up a few stairs, throwing open the bedroom door and struggling out of his coat and his vest as fast as he can. He’s never felt such a different form of hunger and need before.

Ivan grabs Mitchell into his strong embrace again, seeking his mouth with an intense hunger once more. He pushes Mitchell back against the bed, helping him pull off his trousers before their mouths awkwardly clash together again as he lays himself on top of the younger man, enjoying the feeling of his hard cock pressing against his trousers.

Mitchell’s hands are on the other’s fly, fumbling with the buttons, palming the hard length he can feel underneath. He fucks the guy’s mouth with his tongue harshly and gives in to the urge to spread his legs wide, to welcome Ivan between them.

Ivan feels the shift overtake him as Mitchell submits so willingly to him. His fangs growing together with his cock as a pure and primal lust consumes his very being. He has given up trying to undress the other properly, his hands ripping the nice shirt that remained apart to reveal the strong muscles and dark hair underneath. “ **Beautiful .** ”

Mitchell’s dark side responds to the compliment and the stimuli, his fangs dropping instantly, his vision shifting. He pulls his legs up in an unspoken invitation, presenting Ivan his very private place willingly, unashamedly. His cock rock hard. “ **Ivan!”**

Ivan stills for a moment. This is different. This is way too intimate and human somehow. This is definitely not how he fucks guys.

“ **Turn around** ,” he orders, as he pulls down his trousers and throws his shirt on the floor unceremoniously.

Mitchell doesn’t care and does as he says, presenting his arse to the other guy, so so eager to feel the other’s shaft penetrate him. He has no idea where this sudden submission streak comes from, only that he needs it, “ **Now!”**

Ivan grabs him by his backside and pulls him back hard towards the edge of the bed. He kneels between his legs, pushing that lovely pair of buttocks apart and his cock against that inviting pucker between. “ **Hot. So tight** , ” the states with a pleasurable tremble in his voice as he enters the other man’s intimacy, grateful that Mitchell had recently fed to add heat to his inner body temperature.

Mitchell howls at the immense pressure and lets his head drop, waiting a moment until the initial pain subsides. Then he moves backwards a fraction, palming his own dick to fullness again, gasping.

Ivan throws his head back as he drives himself forward forcefully. He wants to bury himself between those rounds as deep as his cock will go. So different to Daisy's soft wet pussy. This is like a chokehold on his prick, squeezing him hard, pulling him in.

Without Daisy there he really does not hold back in his need to own this arrogant youngling, impaling him on his hard member. “ **You like that, fledgeling?** ”

**“Fuck!”** Mitchell hates how he’s put himself at the guy’s mercy now, “ **You do too,”** he spits, moving backwards, squeezing his inner muscles in a strange attempt to gain some control, feeling Ivan twitch inside of him, which makes him howl even more, both with frustration and lust.

“ **Yes. Wicked child**.” Ivan gropes around Mitchell’s hip to grab at his cock. He absolutely loves how this beautiful creation under him is able to play him so well, using every bit of his glorious body to bring him even more pleasure than before. “ **Give in to me** ,” he orders for Mitchell to surrender his control completely as he begins to firmly stroke his lovely dick. 

“ **Not … yet,”** There needs to be some revenge for _child!_ Mitchell writhes on that delicious member, circling his hips, feeling Ivan’s balls slap against his skin with each stroke. Ivan’s fist around his own cock is another new, unknown pleasure to him. He needs _more, more!_

_Not yet._ Ivan laughs at Mitchell’s defiance even helpless as he is being shafted so ruthlessly. He pulls back suddenly, leaving the other man gasping in surprise as he is left empty.

He admires the view for a moment, Mitchell’s arse up in the air, his hole stretched open and begging to be filled again.

He hesitates still, but eventually breaks his own rule. “Turn around then,” he says in a more human voice, although his fangs are still out.

Mitchell turns on his back, taking the position he had earlier, “ **Fuck me, Ivan!”** he urges.

The older vampire grins a wolf-like grin at Mitchell as he watches him display himself so vulnerably and so desperately for him. Legs pulled up and back as his pucker pulses needily around the emptiness he had left behind. He has never fucked a guy like this before. And still somewhere in his mind this feels too normal, too straight. Like he is making love to him like a human rather than breeding him in a more animalistic display of power. But somehow Mitchell stirs something in him that makes him _want_ to look him in the eye, wants to see that deep need and desire in those black depths.

He pulls him back again, by the back of his knees. “ **Yes, John Mitchell,** ” he utters as he buries himself inside the other man again, loving the friction as he pushes against those strong muscles seeking to expel him. He groans deeply as Mitchell grips him so hard, driving his hips between the guy’s legs with purpose.

He leans himself forward a little, the memory of a few weeks back flashing behind his eyes. How Mitchell had howled and come on his cock, spilling his seed inside Daisy’s sweet pussy. And with a swift movement he sinks his teeth in the other guy’s throat.

**“Hnfg!”** Mitchell feels like all his nerve endings are in his arse and in his throat where Ivan just struck. In his desperate need he sinks his fangs into his own arm as he comes violently.

Ivan laps at the sweet dark blood that pours into his mouth, grunting as Mitchell grabs him forcibly with his inner muscles as his hot juice shoots between them, over Ivan's stomach and chest. He looks up into a face that is one of pure delight, pure beauty, but he frowns at the blood smeared across those lips from Mitchell’s own torn wrist.

“ **Drink from me**.”

It’s a ridiculous proposal. One he should never have offered. But he wants that connection with this wicked young rebel, wants him to bite him and share in his blood. And he offers his own neck to him.

Mitchell’s eyes grow wide at the offer and the very unexpected gesture. But he doesn’t need the unique invitation twice. He leans up a little on his elbows and slowly, almost reverently buries his fangs into Ivan’s neck. He comes again instantly. The taste of the ancient blood is overwhelming all of his senses and he moans loudly as he drinks. _Delicious!_

Ivan feels like every year of his long life rushes through him as the younger vampire drinks greedily from him. His orgasm is explosive, taking over all of his other senses, all of his normally vigilant awareness of his surrounding, throbbing through his veins like a runaway train. _Too good. Too delicious. Too dangerous …_ He feels like he’s drowning in the feeling, and the faster he tries to swim to the surface the deeper he dives having lost all sense of what is up or down. He feels like he's cumming again and again, each time Mitchell sucks at the wound in his throat, until his brain threatens to short circuit.

_Stop him. You have to stop him!_

**“S...stop,** ” he mutters, swaying on the high of it all, his arms trembling as they are threatening to collapse under him now. “ **STOP!** ” he growls, barely managing to push the other away.

Mitchell lets go, the urgency in the other’s voice alarming him. He licks his lips and flops back on the bed, his limbs not functioning at all. His arse feeling deliciously funny filled up with Ivan’s warm cum.

“Are you alright?” Mitchell asks uncharacteristically softly.

“Wicked …” Ivan mutters, letting himself collapse next to Mitchell, their legs still half entangled. “Yes ...” At least he believes he is. Already he feels the torn flesh in his throat close up, but the weakness from the blood loss has disabled him more than he would like. He forces himself up, knowing that he cannot let the other vampire see just how vulnerable he is right now. “I’m fine.” He wipes his blooded mouth with the back of his forearm and brushes his hair back in a feeble attempt to compose himself.

He looks over at the other man, Mitchell looking a delightful mess covered in cum and blood. “And you?” he asks, surprised that he actually cares.

“Fine,” it comes out more harshly than he intended it. Mitchell is just so surprised that he asked and that he got asked in return. He leans on one arm and looks at Ivan properly for the first time. _What a hot and delightful man._ He tentatively lays his hand on the other’s chest, grinning down at him. “Now that was something else.” _Thank you for letting me bite you._ He thinks, but can’t make himself say it.

“Yes.” Ivan isn't sure what to do next. He doesn't want to lie here with this vampire who he barely knows still as if they are old lovers. But equally this isn't his house and so he doesn't know where to go. In the end he just sits up and looks for his briefs, pulling them back on to try and regain some modesty. Next he feels for his smokes in his jacket and offers Mitchell one.

“Thanks,” Mitchell looks up at Ivan gratefully and shuffles into a sitting position against the head of the bed, “I’m sorry I’m such a bad host, but normally I don’t have guests.” He stares at the ceiling, “And normally the people I have sex with don’t survive …” he blows a few circles of smoke into the air, willing the guy to stay.

Ivan chuckles at that. “I think you've been very…  accommodating…”

They sit in silence for a long while, smoking their cigarettes, neither really knowing how to start the next conversation that they both want to have. Not after starting the evening like _that_. 

“I … I didn’t only wait for you to get … my arse drilled,” Mitchell gets up, not looking at Ivan as he says it, feeling too awkward. He gets a bottle of fine gin and two glasses out of one of his closets and pours them a drink. “I thought, maybe, if you want to, we could talk a little.” Now that they’re not fighting or fucking, Mitchell doesn’t even know how to speak to Ivan and feels really tongue tight, admiring the view as he holds out the glass to him. Tall man, long delicate limbs, outline of his impressive cock even in it’s resting position, most incredible eyes.

“Talk about what?” Ivan asks flatly, accepting the liquor, neither allowing or denying Mitchell the chance to move them on to a more civilised relationship just yet.

Mitchell sits on the edge of the bed reluctantly, his backside still a little delicate and not really sure how to answer. He looks down on the floor as he’s searching for the words to come, “I’m bored. I’m a vampire since thirty-five years and am bored out of my skull,” he looks at Ivan now. “As I met you first I got assaulted with such a wealth of feelings and thoughts and knowledge that it blew my mind away … “ he trails off, feeling stupid for stammering like a child.

Ivan smiles softly, taking in Mitchell’s fine outline in the light that falls through the window. “Bored? From all that I've heard it hardly sounds like you and Herrick have been bored. You're infamous, Mitchell. Your wild parties, your schemes and hunts …” He knows what Mitchell means though, but he wants to hear him say it out loud.

Mitchell chuckles at that and shuffles himself back beside Ivan hesitantly, feeling very out of his depth since he’d never experienced such a kind of cosy situation. “Yes, that … “ he gets his own package of cigarettes from the nightstand and offers one to Ivan in turn. “I keep thinking there must be something else now. It’s like … it’s like my brain is drying out with no new input.” 

Ivan lights both their smokes, inhaling his slowly. “Bored of the indulgence?” he grins. “Thirty-five years. Practically an infant still…” he mocks. “Do you know how old I am?”

Mitchell rolls his eyes at the infant comment but feels that he’s not charged by it right now. He gives Ivan a sideways glance, “I don’t know. It felt like a thousand years,” he chuckles, having a hard time to keep his hand to himself and not to rub it across Ivan’s thigh.

Ivan snorts. “Sometimes it feels like that for me too. And yet I've only walked this earth for a hundred and seventy-nine years. Compared to my peers even I'm still little more than a child.” He looks at Mitchell, trying to read his deep brown eyes.

It’s a little unsettling as their eyes meet, but Mitchell holds Ivan’s gaze, “Impressive.” He says, looking away and sipping from his glass, “What do you do to not go insane?”

“Many things,” Ivan shrugs. “The same things as I used to do before I was turned. Read. Go to the opera house. Listen to music…”

Mitchell puts the glass on the nightstand and reaches beside the bed and holds up his saxophone, “I try the music part … “ he looks at the instrument, turning it around in his hands.

Ivan looks at Mitchell in surprise but then nods in approval. “Are you any good?” he asks curiously.

Mitchell grins. His first thought is to play right now but then he says, “Maybe you and Daisy want to come to the Reduta Jazz Club on Friday evening and have a little fun?”

Ivan raises his eyebrows in surprise but then nods. “I would like that.”

He is not used to talking vampires - or humans for that matter. Daisy isn't much of a talker, although she is absolutely fun to be with. But it's almost like he's forgotten how to talk in a civilised manner to another man. He tries though. “The thing is, Mitchell, eternity is an awfully long time. The blood orgies, the games… Yes they're fun. But you've got to keep your focus. You’ve got to keep challenging yourself. You have the whole world at your feet.” He gazes intensely at the other. “The choice is yours. You can be little more than a wild animal. Driven by nothing more than our instincts. Or you can elevate yourself above what you were before. Something much more powerful.”

“Thank you,” Mitchell says very quietly, “It’s just that I haven’t been much before … “ He does take the instrument to his lips now and starts to play a very melancholic melody, trying to comprehend the things Ivan had just said. He had thought about this before as well but never dared to speak about it with anyone.

“That's beautiful,” Ivan says, genuinely impressed. The haunting tones send a whole new pleasurable sensation through him and he listens patiently and with interest.

“How old were you when you were recruited?” he asks when eventually Mitchell puts the instrument back down.

"Twenty-four," Mitchell lays the saxophone on the floor, trying to get his normally tightly locked up emotions under control, "and all I have experienced so far is starving and war."

“You're a young man, Mitchell. Both in human age and as a vampire. You have a lot of living to do still.” He hesitates just briefly, not really sure if he wants to throw open that door, but then he says, “I can teach you. The things I know. The things I've seen.”

Mitchell swallows thickly, taken completely by surprise at the offer, “Really? You mean that?” he suddenly _does_ feel like a child and he bites his tongue to not say anything more stupid.

_Herrick will so not like this,_ Ivan thinks but grins at that thought. He and Mitchell’s maker had hit it off particularly badly from the moment the other had sat foot in his city. He hates how Herrick plays on his bloodline making out as if he's one of the Old Ones himself, when he's hardly an adult vampire yet. Damn, even Ivan himself is only straddling that line himself and that only came about because of the War which saw such an influx of baby vamps that anyone over a century could almost be considered ancient. Snow needed them, needed to keep some order in their society, some control. But Herrick… he has taken to his role like a roman emperor. Recruiting his mindless minions to his tribe.

Except for this one who clearly has a mind and cock of his own…

“Yes,” he states almost smugly, loving the other man's almost childish enthusiasm and obvious admiration.

“That’s … Thanks,” Mitchell feels a genuine smile lighten up his face. Yet another alien feeling to him and he has a hard time to resist the very strange urge to bend over and kiss Ivan. 

Now that he's said it though Ivan doesn't actually know where to go from here. Sat on the bed as they are, Mitchell still completely naked, he with the cum of the younger man still sticking to his skin, it feels hardly like the setting to educate the other in vampire history and etiquettes. “What do you want to know?” he asks a little gruffly, the sensation of having Mitchell brushing up against his skin sending a new interest to his prick already.

“Perhaps we should start with you,” he offers when Mitchell seems to not really know where to start either. He allows his hand to slide over Mitchell's hairy thigh, teasingly, exploratory. “How much do you know about _your_ tribe, John? About your maker?”

When Ivan calls him by his given name, his hand touching him so intimately, Mitchell feels strangely touched and sighs, contemplating the question, shuffling down on the bed so he can lie comfortably outstretched while staring at the ceiling. He’s never told anyone about this and isn’t even really sure if he should. But then, he doesn’t owe Herrick anything, he’s his own person, even though Herrick seems to like to forget about that.

“William Herrick, turned me in World War One in France in 1917,” Mitchell searches for the right words, “It was a bargain so my men would live. He never told me anything about himself. The only one I know hung around with him back then already was the idiot Seth. We recruited his whole army after.” Mitchell looks up at Ivan from his vulnerable position and states, “A tribe of vampire children who know nothing.”

“Ignorance is power,” Ivan smiles at Mitchell’s accurate observation. “Herrick doesn't need anyone to think for themselves, doesn't want that. It's why he recruits as he does. The hopeless. The ones with nothing going for them in their pathetic mortal life. Give them _our_ power and they'll worship him like a god.”

He allows his fingers to play with Mitchell's dark curls, “And yet he chose you. Interesting. He clearly saw something in you that appealed to him.” _Like I am seeing something in you that appeals to me…_ “A companion. A lover perhaps?” he dares.

“A lover?” Mitchell laughs out loud and actually shudders at the thought. He lies his hand on Ivan’s, wondering where this is leading and shakes his head, “We’ve only ever had women,” he says like to himself, not really aware of what Ivan had been actually asking with his questions.

_Good!_ Ivan is surprised by the very human emotion he feels at finding out that Mitchell’s not intimate with Herrick the way they have been.

He goes quiet again, just looking at Mitchell, admiring him. _You could make it,_ he thinks to himself. _You actually could be one who has the strength to go on._ “Ask me,” he says eventually. “I can hear the questions buzzing in your head like a beehive.”

Mitchell chuckles and tentatively lies his own hand onto Ivan’s slender hip, rubbing a little, “Before we start with the politics … “ he has to clear his throat to get over the lump he feels there, “I really liked what you did to me, but is there a way to make it less painful in the beginning?” Mitchell feels really foolish for asking since he’s a vampire after all and a little discomfort shouldn’t hurt but still…

Ivan raises an eyebrow in surprise. “You’ve not had a man before, have you?”

Mitchell abruptly sits up, cross legged to face Ivan, his hand creeping closer and closer to the other’s hidden cock, seeing out of the corner of his eye that it’s filling again just as his, “No, you shocked me there,” he admits, “surprisingly in an unexpected interesting way.” Mitchell starts to pull at his own dick leisurely, grinning down at the older vampire.

Again Ivan feels an almost forgotten emotion at that. One of pride and a little possessiveness over the younger vampire, even though there is nothing that binds them other than an apparent mutual need to share sex and companionship. “I shall remember that. Next time …” he smirks, leaving no doubt that he intends to enjoy this again.

“I’d ...,” Mitchell grins, “I’d really appreciate that … next time.” He rubs his palm over Ivan’s dick boldly now, getting more sure of himself in this game, “I’d like you to teach me things in that matter as well. What do you want in exchange?” he asks straightforward, looking at Ivan intensely.

Ivan holds Mitchell’s gaze without blinking. _For you to be my spy in Herrick’s camp …_ He doesn’t say that yet though. For one because he is not sure that he can trust Mitchell enough yet. But also because it isn’t that simple. “You think I am an expert in such depravity?” Ivan frowns instead and he moves himself away to the edge of the bed. “I should go home to my wife.”

Mitchell frowns at the sudden mood change and moves after Ivan, not giving up so quickly, ignoring the comment about Daisy. He massages their dicks in an equal rhythm instead, feeling bold and excited as the other’s dick seems to have a mind of its own, “I don’t care about depravity as long as it’s fun.” He smirks at the other.

Ivan can’t ignore the fact that the younger vampire’s touch is re-awaking his interest. He is surprised by the youngster’s sudden boldness, touching him like this. Fucking the other guy is one thing. But having him touch his cock like that is making Ivan shift uncomfortably, knowing that he is losing the upper hand now. He pushes back the regret together with Mitchell’s hand. “Enough,” he says firmly and gets to his feet. He has enjoyed this evening, both the sex and the talk. But he must not forget himself in this comfortable setting. Mitchell is still Herrick’s protégé. And Daisy will be wondering where he has gone.

He picks his clothes up from the floor and begins to pull them on.

“What the hell?” Mitchell feels like an idiot now. First big words about teaching him things and after he has revealed a lot of himself, and Ivan actually nothing at all, the other man chooses to go? He wishes he wouldn’t be stark naked and half aroused. He feels his old, familiar anger and fury rise inside of him. _Asshole._

Ivan throws him a measured look. “You wanted to fuck, we fucked. You wanted to talk, we talked. What else do you want, Mitchell?”

“Fuck you,” Mitchell hastily pulls his clothes back on. He doesn’t know what he wants. He feels all vulnerable and exposed, feelings he always knew how to avoid. “Get out,” he throws the door open because he wants to go out into the night now himself, find something to sink his cock and teeth in.

Ivan doesn’t rush himself for the sake of Mitchell’s anger. He takes his time to button up his expensive woollen coat before putting his hat back on. The youngster’s volatile temper amuses him. “It’s been a pleasure,” he grins at Mitchell, bending himself very close to drink in the scent of his sex one last time. “I will see you around.” He taps the brim of his hat in goodbye, and with that he is down the stairs and out of the front door.

“Damn him!” _Of course it has been a pleasure. Way too much._ Mitchell is reeling with feelings he never had. It felt good to just sit with someone and talk, someone who has other things in mind than killing, orgies, world domination. Someone normal, someone who goes to the opera house and reads ... And then the guy turns out to be no better than Herrick by playing the big, all knowing vampire and disappearing, leaving him hungry and feeling like shit once more.

Mitchell huffs at his self-pity and tries to forget about what just happened, lightening another cigarette as he makes his way to find some other entertainment. The night is very bright; full moon ...

+++

Ivan put his hat on the coat stand and slowly takes off his coat.

“Cuddle bear, you are back!” Daisy jumps at Ivan and devours him briefly, but instantly letting go as she tastes and smells another on him. It’s a familiar scent though. She isn’t sure if she’s jealous that he has been with someone else or jealous that he didn’t take her with him. “Have you … f … met Mitchell?”

Ivan can't help the grin that forms on his face. “I did,” he simply answers, leaving it to Daisy's imagination what that meeting may have entailed. “He's invited us to the Reduta on Friday.”

Daisy lets slip her initial pout as she hears about the invitation and again jumps at Ivan, throwing legs and arms around him, “Dancing! YES!” She devours him again, now rather indulging in the fact that that must be Mitchell’s blood she’s tasting, his scent she’s smelling. “Can we fuck him then too?”

“Yes pumpkin,” Ivan kisses her back deeply. “I'm sure that we can.” He lifts her skirt and opens his trousers, letting her sink onto his hard cock, still trembling from Mitchell’s touch there. “My beautiful wicked woman,” he mutters into her mouth as he screws her roughly up against the wall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings! Fairly graphic depictions of blood drinking, killing and dubious consent. 
> 
> *Vampires don't sparkle, they kill people in tunnels*

As Mitchell sees Ivan and Daisy enter the club amongst all those people a triumphant grin plays around his lips. He wasn’t really sure if they’d turn up at all. After all Ivan and he hadn’t parted on good terms, but he’d hoped they’d come anyway as no matter how hard he tried, he could not get the man out of his head. Yet that hope had been fading as the evening stretched on. But here they are. Both looking splendid and like a proper human couple.

Ivan leads Daisy on his arm through the smoky club. It is busy already and the scent of the humans around them is like a heavy perfume, a little overpowering but pleasant nonetheless.

Daisy is behaving perfectly so far. He had been a little worried about bringing her here into this enclosed space tonight. She could be unpredictable, that much he had learnt over the last decade. And at times her excitement was dangerous and uncontrollable. But the promise of dancing, taking home a nice meal and of course the temptation of Mitchell were enough to make her keep her manners in check … at least for now.

Mitchell winks at Daisy as she looks at him during his speedy solo. He likes the elegant dress she’s wearing tonight, very promising. He also allows himself a quick glance at Ivan and his heart would have missed a beat if he had been alive when he looks at the smart dressed vampire in the light of the club. He actually feels his mouth watering.

Ivan smiles briefly at Mitchell, before leading Daisy to a table on the side. He knows that they have to keep up pretences for a while and so he makes his way through the crowd to the bar, ordering three glasses and a bottle of wine that few would be able to afford these days. He does not normally like to draw such attention to himself, but tonight he feels like splashing out a little. After all it is not often that he and Daisy have a night out like this.

He glances over at Mitchell, looking handsome as always. Seeing him play his instrument with such passion and skill, however, is such a stark contrast from before. He blends in perfectly with the humans.  So many of the youngsters don't these days. Ivan can recognise them from a mile off and it is only humanity’s ignorance that is their saving grace. Ivan remembers when times were different. When their kind were hiding in the shadows for fear of active persecution, especially in the Balkan. Burnt at the stake. Beheaded. Buried alive. But these days one can mingle if only one puts in a little bit of effort. It requires some skill, some practice for sure. Daisy still struggles. She's like a puppy, eager to jump up and not yet fully disciplined. There were occasions when she was unable to keep the dark side at bay until they reached their nest and they had had to resort to dumping the body in the Vltava. She's learning though, learning to play and take control rather than let the thirst control her.

But Mitchell… he appears to have mastered it. No-one would suspect the deadly predator inside the handsome young man. Delightful. It arouses Ivan to watch him manage the pretence so seemingly effortlessly. And he has to admit that at least in that respect Herrick has trained him well.

As the band takes a break, Mitchell steps off the stage and weaves his way between all the humans towards his guests.

"Good evening, madam," he smiles at Daisy meaningfully, greeting her in their mother tongue. He takes her hand and kisses it, feeling her excitement bubble very close to the surface. He feels old himself compared to her.

He doesn't look at Ivan yet; that would be impolite to greet the gentleman before the lady. But his all-consuming aura lets the hairs on Mitchell's neck rise in anticipation of a very entertaining evening. Hopefully.

“Hello Mitchell,” Daisy purrs, pouting out her red-lipsticked lips a little. She is instantly mesmerised by Mitchell's charm again and has a hard time not to fly around his neck and devour him. But that really would be frowned upon by the humans around them, especially in front of her husband who after all is a well-respected member of the community. Instead she just giggles, throwing Mitchell a coquettish smile from under her long lashes.

He turns towards Ivan after he'd given Daisy the tiniest of winks. "Děkuji, že jste přišli," Mitchell thanks Ivan for coming, bowing a little as he shakes Ivan's hand. "I'm glad you could make it." _Very glad actually._ He smiles a little falsely; the way the other had left him a few days back stirs his anger still though.

Ivan can feel Mitchell’s anger radiate at him, his emotions so close underneath his cool surface. But he merely smiles. “Mr Mitchell. I thank you for the invitation. I found it most pleasant watching you play...“ He leaves the sentence hanging in the air, pregnant with the double meaning it carries. “Forgive us for being somewhat late. There was a small matter that required my urgent attention. I do hope, however, that my wife and I may enjoy more of your skill later tonight.”

“A small matter ...” Mitchell raises an eyebrow as he sits down at their table, “I’m glad you enjoyed the show … “ He raises his glass to both in a salute and then glances at Ivan, “And I’m certain there will be more entertainment tonight.”  Pretending to be human is always very hard. It needs his full concentration to not misbehave in the club full of people until everyone is drunk, but with these two around it is even more difficult. Whereas before he’d only have eyes for Daisy, now he also has the urge to stroke both their thighs beneath the table.

He clears his throat a little nervously, playing with the glass full of red in front of him, wishing it was blood.

Daisy throws Ivan a glance, knowing that he's keeping a close eye on them both. Now that Mitchell is here a part of her just wants to leave again straight away and execute the rest their plan for tonight, but the other side of her does enjoy this - an evening out, watching the humans go about their normal ways. That part of her envies them, the simplicity of their desires. Mortal life seems so simple now, just like Ivan had once said, just before he'd given her this new life. You are born, you grow up, you die. Everything in between is peripheral. They'll all end up in that same hole in the ground sooner or later.

She slowly sips her wine, staring at Mitchell. He's even more handsome than she remembered. And the fact that other women in the club are throwing him interested glances is making her even more excited.

Mitchell has a hard time to not openly flirt with Daisy and he feels hyper aware of all the glances thrown his way from the other guests, both female and male now. He never realised before that men were staring at him in a sexual way as well. He can choose from a full plate later. He grins at that thought.

“It’s my turn again.” He’s glad to get up from the table; sticking to his human manners is just too hard in such circumstances. He politely bows to both, trying to ignore the heavy sexual tension for now, and makes his way back on stage just in time to pick up his saxophone and start to play Misty from 1949, to open up the slow dancing part of the evening.

“May I have this dance?” Ivan gets up too, holding his arm out to Daisy. He is surprised at how good this evening _feels_ , acting like a normal couple. It's been so long since they did anything other than hunt, kill and fuck. It makes a pleasant change to do something different and he silently thanks Mitchell again for the invitation.

He leads Daisy to the dance floor and takes up the leading position. It's been a long time indeed and he's never danced to this modern music before, but he has not lost his sense of rhythm as he leads his very enthused wife around the highly polished floor. 

Mitchell gives his all as he spots Ivan and Daisy on the dance floor, like a proper human couple. He lets his instrument sing and play with the dancers’ souls and hearts, closing his eyes as he does so. And for a while he can even forget his blood lust.

The illusion is fragile though. As Ivan and Daisy turn between the other dancers the intoxicating smell of their bodies is making Daisy feel light headed. She knows Ivan too is scanning the crowd, almost tasting this lady and that gentleman as they brush close past them. They have not fed since Ivan last saw Mitchell and now the hunger is pulling at them with a ferocious strength.

“I'm hungry…” she cannot help but murmur against Ivan's jacket. Even though she loves this, being swept around by her handsome husband like if she were a normal girl, the vampire inside is already trying to claw its way out.

“Patience, princess,” Ivan whispers in her ear. “We shall have a feast tonight.”

As Mitchell is getting swept away by the music, the reality starts to fade and instead of seeing people in the dimly lit room, he senses pulsing veins and throbbing hearts and sweaty human skin. He can feel Daisy’s turmoil almost like his own as he has a hard time to not shift just there and then. His nostrils flare as he tries to pick out a subject for later. _Not too much later though._

As the music stops, Ivan has to hold onto Daisy with a firm grip to remind her of where they are and that discretion is still required. He wonders whether to pick one of the slim young ladies in their sparkly dresses or perhaps try and entice a smartly dressed young gentleman tonight.

His eyes meet Mitchell’s as he leads his wife back to their table and he can see the hunger he feels now returned by the other's gaze. _A woman_ , he decides. _He will pick a fine one. The offering is plentiful._

 _One more song._ Mitchell knows it’s the last one. It always is. He locks his gaze with Ivan’s as he holds onto his saxophone desperately, concentrating on the right tunes. He doesn’t want to mess this up. It is a matter of personal pride, plus he likes to push himself and his inner demon just for sports, just to see how far he can go until he  breaks.

Ivan steps up to Mitchell as soon finishes the song and leaves the little stage. “I think we need to go soon,” he says quietly. “Would you join us for dinner, John?” he holds the other's gaze.

“It would be my utmost pleasure, Ivan,” Mitchell stares into those sharp blazing eyes for a moment longer and actually feels his cock twitch when Ivan uses his first name. “Did you already pick something from the menu?” He lifts his upper lip to show his fangs, “I think my hunger matches your wife’s.”

Ivan nods, smiling pleasantly, then turns his gaze meaningfully towards a young woman with curly red shoulder length hair who is throwing Mitchell curious glances. “It's customary in my country that the guest brings something to drink…” he advises.

Mitchell grins and turns around. He winks at a pretty blonde girl, who had made flirty eyes at him all evening. “How about that?” he asks Ivan.

 _“_ A fine choice,” Ivan nods and turns around to allow Mitchell to get acquainted with their dinner and convince her to join them as he walks back towards Daisy.

Mitchell pulls the young woman close, kissing her on the lips without any introduction or anything. He feels his appetite rise as the warm bosom of the woman presses against him. “Want to grab a bite to eat with my friends?” he asks her, watching the girl blush delightfully.

“Yes please,” she flutters her eyelashes at Mitchell.

“Her?” Daisy cocks her head, scanning the woman who is now giggling on Mitchell’s arm.

“Not of your liking?” Ivan strokes Daisy’s long sleek neck.

Daisy considers this for a moment. She prefers to have men in her bed for sure and she does not much like the thought of this girl being all flirty with Mitchell either. But the thought of Mitchell and Ivan together again is enough to convince her that at least two couples leaving the club will arouse less suspicion. “She'll do,” she smirks, downing her glass in one.

As Mitchell introduces the young woman to the couple he can see that Daisy is not very pleased but it’s getting really late now and he actually wants to sink his fangs into the woman right here and now. The blonde girl is very pleased with herself that she got herself the very handsome, talented saxophone player every single girl was lusting after the whole evening.

“Let's go,” Ivan simply says, smiling pleasantly at the young lady. He shakes his head to himself at how loose the women are these days, flaunting themselves and going with a total stranger like that. The war had really changed people. It makes things so much easier for them though. But they can't stand here and hang around. So far few people will have noticed them but they can't have anyone laying any connections come a few days’ time when someone will be wondering why she didn't come home …

Mitchell pulls the girl out on the dark street and sniffs very unceremoniously at her neck, a pleasant shiver running down his spine. He nips at her vein with his real teeth playfully which makes her giggle drunkenly even more.

She wraps her arms around the handsome  musician, expecting a very hot night she can brag about later to her friends. Not that she really know what a hot night entails actually. She’s only read in these new magazines how lots of women have affairs with famous people nowadays. 

Daisy dances ahead of them across the pavement. She can barely wait now until they are back at their nest. Can't wait to rip that pretty things throat open. Can't wait to have Mitchell stuff his gorgeous dick inside of her again.

Ivan lets her go. The night is late and really they should not draw so much attention. Then again his strong connections in the Socialist Party would assure that even if someone did stop and challenge their extravagant behaviour, they would get away with it on mention of his name alone. He does not like to get involved in human politics - or vampire ones for that matter - but the system needs to be upheld. Connections are critical to their people, so that their crimes remain undetected and unquestioned. And with the recent purges, staying on the side of the ruling party has actually benefited them in many ways. There are many _unwanted_ in Prague nowadays. People who the Party would like to see disappear. Ivan feels no emotions towards the quarrels of humankind. He will switch sides without hesitation if the political wind changes in his country, if that would ensure that his own kind can continue to exist and feed without too much hassle. At the moment having a steady food supply is all that matters to him.

But tonight is different. Tonight is play time. Tonight is not about feeding on the hand me downs from the Party but rather an indulgence, much like the wine he had purchased earlier. He knows Mitchell’s menu choice may upset a few people. Young pretty thing that she is, probably from a strongly loyal family for her to be able to come to a club like that in the first place. He will just have to pull in a few favours tomorrow. And actually it's not such a bad thing to remind his contacts that he isn't controlled by them. That the only reason they have this agreement is because it suits them both but he will never be one of them.

He lights a cigarette and slowly inhales the smoke. It calms his hunger just enough for now.

Mitchell glances sideways at Ivan as he walks calmly beside him and his girl of the night while Daisy jumps like a little foal in front of them. He can feel the other's arousal match his and wonders if it's because of him, since he can't wait to actually appreciate the other's dick again, or if it's because of the two _ladies_.

He doesn't pay attention to anything what the girl at his arm is chatting about, only silences her with a deep kiss now and then or a squeeze of her backside to keep her in the mood. His mouth is watering when he thinks of the warm human blood that will soon flood his taste buds, hopefully intermingled with Ivan's.

Daisy bounces up the stairs towards their apartment. She hopes that the two men are not intent on polite conversation first, bored now of holding up the flimsy pretence for any longer. And she's happy when Ivan leads the other two straight to their bedchamber.

Mitchell grins at Daisy's behaviour, delighted that Ivan instantly opens up the bedroom door. He can feel the girl’s excitement change into confusion now and fear starting to spice her blood.

“What is going on?” she asks in a barely audible whisper.

“Well, you wanted the saxophone player, now you’re going to get him,” Mitchell smiles his sweetest smile at her and pushes her onto the bed, crawling on top of her, devouring her. Since her senses are very clouded from the expensive alcohol she’d consumed all evening, she doesn’t really care how to get the super sexy guy in the black tuxedo, so she just throws her arms and legs around him and kisses him back. She’s surprised about his strength though but that even turns her on more.

 Ivan sits himself down in the armchair in the and pats his leg for Daisy to sit on. This is a very interesting experience, having another vampire doing the seducing of tonight's dinner, whilst he gets to have his wife to play with for a while.

Daisy hesitates for just a moment, still feeling a bit put out that Mitchell wants to fuck this human girl first. But Ivan's dark stare full of heat is enough of an invitation to climb onto his lap, kissing him deeply as he gropes her breasts.

“Are they going ...going to watch us?” Mitchell’s catch breathes between kisses, trying to get Mitchell’s clothes off.

He starts to laugh, his appetite rising and his arousal as well, knowing his new acquaintances will watch them, “Sure they will,” he lets his tongue travel along her cleavage, his fangs tingling but not coming out yet.

Daisy laughs softly, chorusing Mitchell. She spreads her legs so that the ruby red dress that Ivan had purchased for her falls open at the split. Ivan's hand instantly runs up the inside of her leg, his smooth cold hands caressing her skin. She can feel his erection press hard against the hollow of her back as he pushes two fingers inside her pussy and she groans in pleasure as he fucks them slowly in and out of her.

As Mitchell smells and hears the little noises of the others’ arousal, the girl beneath him spreading her legs wide as well, clawing her nails into his back, he loses it and quickly pushes down his trousers to press into her with one smooth motion, his cock aching. She’s all warm and wet for him and gets even more so as he licks over her nipple after he’s set it free.

A hoarse groan escapes Ivan as Mitchell pushes his dick between the young girl's thighs. He catches her eye, seeing the clouded confusion between arousal and insecurity there about being screwed in front of an audience.

He lifts Daisy up a little and releases his own manhood from its confines. He pulls his wife higher up his lap so that he can rub his cock against her silky wetness. And he grins a wolf like grin at the young woman as he lets the vampire out to play, showing her his true self.

Her scream is caught in a muffled choke as Mitchell sinks his fangs into her neck, sucking harshly, groaning loudly in bliss as the nutritional blood fills his mouth and his whole being with fresh life and energy.

The girl claws at his back, trying to pull at his hair. Whereas her half drunken state had left her willing and compliant before, her fear and pain now gives her strength. But her fight is futile against one vampire let alone three.

Mitchell fucks with abandon into her, letting her fear wash over him, filling his senses, satisfying the animal within him. He slows down his greedy gulps, to leave something for the other two, then he shows her his fangs, her blood dripping from his mouth onto her white dress.

The girl screams another agonising scream as she looks into Mitchell’s coal black eyes.

In a flash Daisy jumps off Ivan's lap, pulling her husband onto the bed with a wicked laugh. She can feel Ivan's hunger as much as her own, overtaking all other feelings. It's somewhere between the sickening pain of starving and the dizzying pulse of arousal just before intercourse.

She grabs the girl's wrist and sinks her teeth  into the soft pale skin, deep into the artery. As soon as the warm blood flows onto her tongue she feels her husband's cock push inside of her and she mewls in the simultaneous pleasure.

The girl's eyes are wide with fear now. “P ….please …” she begs Mitchell softly. Tears spring into her eyes. “Don't kill me…”

Before Mitchell has a chance to say anything Daisy brings her bloody lips to her ear, whispering, “Sssh, sweety. You wanted him, right? Now you've got him. Isn't he gorgeous. All hard and bloody...” She brushes the girl's hair and kisses cheek softly, as Ivan still moves inside of her, slowly, controlled.

“We won’t kill you honey, you’ll just fall asleep slowly,” Mitchell mocks her, rubbing her just so that she actually makes a little pleasant noise. While he fucks into her he grabs Daisy’s sweet face and licks his bloody tongue across her lips, scraping her with his fangs.

Daisy kisses Mitchell harshly and then laughs.  “Don't listen to him, sweety, of course we're gonna kill you.” She whispers in the frightened girl's ear, “We're your worst nightmare come true ...” she says meanly, making it well known to this fling that she is the dominant female here.

“ _Upíři_ ,” the girl sobs softly. She tries to wrench her arm free from Daisy's grip, but her whole body is overcome with exhaustion now.

“ **That's right, darling** ,” Daisy grins before sinking her teeth into that soft neck.

Ivan watches the scene with bemusement for a while, but his hunger is clawing its way to the surface now. And so he pulls out of Daisy, pulling her back into a bloody kiss, tasting the delicious human blood on her lips. It's enough to let the beast inside him out completely. “ **Take him,** ” he whispers in her ear, glaring at Mitchell with his dead black eyes.

Daisy grins at her husband and then pushes Mitchell off their prey, quickly climbing on top of him. She's doesn't hesitate to mount his rock hard cock and rides him furiously.

Mitchell laughs a devilish laugh as he brutally thrust up into Daisy, grabbing her by the hip with one hand and grabbing the gasping girl's other wrist, turning her arm awkwardly, so that a pained moan escapes her mouth. He sucks a few times and then lets her go, kneading Daisy’s breasts with his bloody hands, “ **Hot bitch!”**

Ivan growls softly at Mitchell, reminding him of his place in this hierarchy. But he lets the comment slide and rolls the weak girl into his arms. Her breathing is shallow now and she's close to losing consciousness. “Hush now,” he murmurs, cradling her like a frightened kitten for a moment. Finally though he sinks his fangs into the same puncture marks that Daisy had left and indulges in the blood that now pumps just slowly into his hungry mouth on the beat of her dying heart. The young woman has lost the fight she was never going to win and goes limp in his arms. 

Mitchell fumbles his way beneath Daisy’s skirts and rubs his finger over her clit while he’s driving deeply into her. The fresh blood gives him even more stamina and he feels like he could go on for hours. As he simulates Daisy with his one hand, he searches for Ivan’s cock with the other and wraps his slick fingers around it.

Ivan groans in pleasant surprise. Initially he's inclined to slap Mitchell’s hand away like he had before. The intimacy of the act and the vulnerability of his position makes his demon buck like a wild horse. But the blood induced high is enough to keep him as he is, splayed out, the dead girl still lying against him, his cock throbbing pleasantly in Mitchell’s fist. He closes his eyes lets the pleasure of Mitchell pulling him off engulf him, fuelled by Daisy’s sexual moans and of the human blood supplying every cell in his immortal body with explosions of energy.

Before he met Ivan, Mitchell would have never thought that touching another man’s dick would turn him on. But Ivan’s sleek, hard rod, covered in Daisy’s juices, feels like the best thing he’s ever laid his fingers on. Taking care of both wife and husband simultaneously increases the wicked grin on Mitchell’s face. While he knows how to pleasure a woman, he has to experiment a little with Ivan’s cock. He goes hesitantly at first, not knowing what the other likes, not wanting to embarrass himself either.

Daisy’s wild ride distracts him. She’s such a wicked bitch and exactly knows how to move those inner muscles of hers. The blood dripping from her mouth makes her look even more delicious and he gives as good as he gets. In the end he decides to match the rhythm of his fist on Ivan’s cock to their furious fucking.

A strangled moan escapes Ivan's lips.  Such a strange experience to have another man's hand on his cock. But good. So very fucking good! He bucks up into that fist, loving how Mitchell twists his palm over his wet tip and then resumes the rhythm with which he screws his wife.

When Daisy comes loudly, he comes too, spilling his seed into the younger man's fist unabashedly. He howls the peak of his pleasure, “ **Hell fuck yes!** ” The rest is just a jumble of moans and grunts until his rigid body relaxes and flops back down onto the blood soaked sheets.

“ **FCK!”** Mitchell pulls Daisy down into a tight lip lock as he ejaculates into her hotness as soon as Ivan’s cum splashes over his fingers and arm. The experience of having another’s dick pulsing in his hand, building up to climax, is just extraordinarily fantastic. He hums pleasantly into Daisy’s blood drenched hair as she slumps onto him, giggling.

Ivan laughs softly. A deep sound that reminds of distant storms. He cannot remember the last time he laughed. Not the pitied laughter for the futile pleas from a dying human. Or even the sneers he gives his own kind. It's almost a sensation of… what? Actual enjoyment? He shakes his head and opens his eyes, pushing himself up a little to look at the other two.

Daisy pushes her wild hair out of her face and grins at Mitchell. But as soon as she hears Ivan's laughter her head whips back to look at him. And then she crawls over to him, pushing the dead woman out of the way, as she curls up against her husband.

Mitchell is very pleased with himself of having satisfied both his bed partners. He’s feeling on top of the world, his body tingling very pleasantly with the warmth of the fresh blood and the aftermath of his very nice fuck. He feels a little left out though, when Daisy leaps from his lap and leaves his dick out in the cold all of a sudden.

He quickly gets up from the bed and looks for his smokes, lightening one, sitting into the armchair in the corner and watching the couple from afar, studying them with great, focused interest.

“Going already?” Ivan asks, cocking his head slightly. Daisy is all but passed out from the sex and the feed, lying heavy on his arm.

Mitchell shakes his head, “Just getting some distance,” he says carefully, blowing a circle of smoke into the air, not really sure where this is going now and not wanting to get thrown out again after feeling so comfortable.

“Have I upset you?”

Mitchell shakes his head yet again, actually stunned at the question, “I … I don’t want to get thrown out again,” he says under his breath, “I thought I might have upset _you_ … Not sure if I crossed a boundary or something.” He waves his hand vaguely into their direction, meaning Daisy and Ivan’s cock all in one.

Ivan smiles and averts his eyes, contemplating this for himself. “Perhaps …” he says. “But crossing boundaries isn't always a bad thing.” He looks at Mitchell again, holding his gaze. He tries to pinpoint what it is that fascinates him so much about Mitchell. Why he feels pulled towards the other man like a magnet. So few capture his interests nowadays. If mankind quickly bored him in his human years, vampires are so much worse - hollow, selfish, primal creatures. _You have a choice. You can become something much more than what you were before_. He can truly believe it with this one.

“Come here,” he says, somewhere between an order and an invitation.

Mitchell thinks he didn’t hear right. He cocks his head too, not sure if Ivan means what he’s saying. He slides his finger through a still wet, red stripe of human blood on his stomach and sucks his finger into his mouth, contemplating, staring at the sexy form that is Ivan. There are so many possibilities there …

He stubs out his cigarette and hesitantly walks over to the bed again, not sure what to do as he stands in front of it. He thinks he doesn’t have the right to just curl up against Ivan’s other side so he just looks down at the mess they’re in and they’ve made, “Very nice dinner,” he chuckles, “Thanks for having me.”

“Thank _you_ ,” Ivan says, cutting the sentence short at that, not voicing the _for dinner, for the night out, for the sex and for making me feel these… things!_ He is too proud for that. And he really doesn't know this youth that well still to open himself up so widely.

Nonetheless he grabs hold of Mitchell’s wrist and pulls him beside him.

Mitchell lies down on his side, propped up on his elbow so he can look Ivan in the eye, still not knowing what the other thinks of him. He feels very  unsure of where to put his other hand. All of this is so new to him. He normally fucks his prey and then kills it. And that is that. He has no one he calls friend or is really intimate with just for comfort. He only knows blood and cruelty and bad jokes after. No one ever treated him with interest in his person. Herrick only ever treats him like his personal pet, his very pretty catch to show of.

This is new. He feels comfortable with these two, feels like he wants to spend some time with them to have fun, and to rest like this. He slides his hand onto Ivan’s muscular thigh and rubs firmly, not knowing what to say. A very unusual smile tugs at the corners of his mouth.

Ivan places a kiss in Daisy’s hair. He knows that she isn't really asleep. Not like humans are anyway. But she's unresponsive anyway. “She really likes you,” he says softly to Mitchell, allowing the hand on his thigh this time.

Mitchell still doesn’t know how to respond to that and clears his throat, “She’s a wicked girl.” _And you’re a very fascinating man._ He reaches over and strokes her hair briefly, letting his hand rest back on Ivan’s hip again. He wishes for another cigarette. “I … what … I don’t know …” he laughs embarrassed, feeling set back in time when he was almost a child. He strokes his unruly hair out of his forehead nervously, staring into Ivan’s impressive eyes, not able to look away.

Ivan smiles, snorting softly. “She is not always like that,” he says half to himself. “She's…  She left a lot behind when she came with me.” His mouth twitches a little, wondering why he is telling Mitchell this. “And you? Did you leave a lot behind when Herrick recruited you?”

“No,” he says, lying down with his head on Ivan’s arm, covering his eyes with his own, “Nothing,” he doesn’t even feel emotional about that anymore. After a few moments he asks, “You?”

“It was a long time ago,” Ivan merely says, leaving the question unanswered. “Do you miss your home, Mitchell?” he asks then. “Ireland …”

“You want a smoke?” Mitchell feels so awkward, he doesn’t know what to do. That Ivan recognizes his accent even though they spoke in Czech half of the time throws him off kilter. He’s never in his whole left felt this comfortable with someone before.

“I have been thinking about England,” Ivan admits to Mitchell. “I like London. It's where I met my Daisy. I've travelled a lot, but Wales and England, they've always felt most like home to me. I am not sure that she'll want to go back though. It's been ten years…” he trails off, thinking of Daisy's daughter who she'd abandoned for him.

He shrugs the image off, not wanting to bore Mitchell and turns to him again. “What do you think of Prague?”

Mitchell gets up and takes his smokes and matches, handing one to Ivan before awkwardly laying down at the other’s side again. So much information. _So Daisy really is almost a newborn still. No wonder she’s so hyper and crazy._

“I like Prague but I do miss Ireland,” Mitchell inhales deeply, smoking has always calmed him and right now he’s a complete bundle of highly strung nerves. “I’ve not been to London or Wales yet.”

He turns on his stomach to face the other guy, “How did you become a vampire? Is your maker still alive?” he asks boldly.

Ivan hesitates to respond at first, but then answers, “It was 1815. The world was pregnant with war and political changes, much like it is now. She was a part of one of the travelling groups that came to Prague. It's how a lot of tribes still live in these parts, travelling from town to town.

“I got drunk, took her to bed and next thing I know I was choking on my own blood. She offered me the choice. I was not ready to die and so she made me what I am,“ he states matter of factly.

“And no, she is no longer alive,” Ivan curtly shakes his head. He rolls Daisy gently off his arm so that he can finish his smoke without setting fire to the place. “None of my tribe are now.” He holds Mitchell’s gaze sharply. “In those days our kind did not have the systems in place that we do now. We were at war with humankind. There were heavy losses on both sides. It is… different now. We have struck bargains. The world has changed. Those who cannot adjust don't survive the turning of the years.”

“I know,” Mitchell stares at the aristocratic features of the older vampire, actually feeling honoured now that Ivan had told him something very personal. “I already have been aware of that myself,” he pulls at his cigarette again, “I’m glad there is a system in place now though. We can almost live undetected until people become suspicious that we do not age and we have to move away…” he thinks out loud, resisting the urge to actually kiss the other man.

“You're bright,” Ivan smiles. He stubs out his cigarette and tentatively brushes Mitchell’s hair behind his ear, grinning how it seems to have a will of its own. “You interest me,” he says quietly.

 _Now what am I supposed to say to that?_ Mitchell leans a little involuntarily into Ivan’s hand, feeling flattered but yet again at a completely loss of what to do. He can do brutal sex, but what’s he supposed to do with such a gentle gesture. Ivan’s glance is soft as he looks at him, and that puzzles him even more.

“I … I find you interesting too,” he kind of stammers, looking down on the other’s bloody chest, avoiding eye contact now because it is just too weird to show such a vulnerable side.

There is something oddly endearing about the younger vampire acting so out of character whilst the dried blood of their kill still mats his hair. The subtle churning in his stomach as he gazes with interest at Mitchell is not unpleasant, just different. He thinks about the last time they lay together post sex and how that same feeling had made him put up his barriers, not knowing how to deal with it. But this time he feels more prepared for it, wants to explore it further.

And so he leans in and presses his lips firmly against Mitchell’s.

Mitchell's eyes snap open wide as he feels Ivan's full lips on his, warm from the fresh blood. After the initial shock he opens his a little though and darts out his tongue to explore, wondering how an after kill kiss with a male vampire feels and tastes like. He’s neither kissed someone ever after sex since he used to kill his partners, nor has he ever kissed a man just for the act of kissing.

Ivan allows the intrusion of Mitchell’s tongue. He is not quite sure where they are going with this, but it feels pleasant, and so he responds in kind. His demonic side seems to slumber in the post kill blood rush and so he grazes Mitchell’s lips with his human teeth. His hand caresses the rough stubble of Mitchell’s jaw, curious how it feels under his fingertips; so different to Daisy's silky soft skin.

Mitchell frowns at the gently caress. No one ever touched him like that before and he feels a very pleasant spark go through his body. He entwines his tongue with Ivan’s for a few moments, enjoying the intimate, slow contact. His hand starts to draw circles across the other’s chest.

Eventually he stops though, “What’s this, Ivan?” he asks huskily, looking over at Daisy and if she’s still passed out. 

“What do you mean?” Ivan frowns too, feeling little angry at the interruption.

“Forget it,” Mitchell says and leans over Ivan fully now, devouring him more than just carefully trying like a teen who has never kissed before. He likes the roughness of Ivan’s stumble against his, likes the power he feels in the kiss. It is so different than kissing a woman. He sighs deeply, not wanting to stop again for a while. He enormously likes the fact that his dick is getting interested again too.

Ivan pulls Mitchell on top of him, letting his urges take over. His one hand runs down Mitchell’s back as the other guy kisses him hard. His other hand strokes his wife’s back, loving the contrast and having the connection with both even if Daisy is unresponsive to his touch.

“I like how you fuck her,” Ivan breathes harshly against Mitchell’s open mouth. “So few can handle her. But you …” He grins at Mitchell with a darkness in his eyes that isn't quite the same as his vampiric stare, but penetrating nonetheless.

Mitchell chuckles at that, “She’s wicked, I like wicked,” he lets his hand travel down Ivan’s side, rubbing his hip, feeling Ivan’s half hard on nestled against his. That bold urge of exploring Ivan overtakes his senses a new.  “I’m glad you don’t mind me fucking her … “ _I could fuck you too,_ he suddenly thinks and quickly bites his tongue. “I like it when you watch us,” his cock gives a very interested twitch as he says it.

Ivan laughs softly. He enjoys that the other vampire has never shown any fear for him,  reckless as he is. “You like to fuck another man’s wife whilst he watches you…” he grins. “You play dangerous games, John Mitchell.” He kisses him roughly again, the image of Daisy riding Mitchell exciting him again.

 _Why does this guy turn me on so much?_ he quietly wonders. It's true that Daisy and he had never had a monogamous relationship, which in truth was a flawed human ideology that their people generally did not care much for anyway with the exception of a few. It's also true that although on the whole he prefers women over men he has had enough male interest over the many years and he'd not been overly choosy where he stuck his dick when the mood took him.

But this is different still. This is not even about satisfying deviant desires or urges, but rather about satisfying a different need altogether. One that he did not even realise he had until now. Even though Mitchell is but a child in age compared to him, he feels like the other vampire could be an equal. As the years turned over each leaf he had begun to feel more and more removed from others of his kind. The Old Ones were so much older than him that they felt just as alien as the fledglings did. And he had begun to feel stuck in the middle unable to connect with others. Other than of course beautiful, crazy Daisy. But even with her there are things he cannot share; after all he's her maker and she's a woman.

He rocks himself up against Mitchell, enjoying the strength but equally the restraint the other man shows.

“Dangerous games?” Mitchell chuckles and breaks the intense lip lock, “I like exploring new opportunities … “ he grins down on the other. 

“New opportunities …” Ivan repeats. “And is this one of those opportunities?”

“Maybe … “ Mitchell reaches between them and takes both their dicks into his hand, pulling their foreskins over their cockheads. He gasps a little in pleasure, another new thing he’s doing here, kind of masturbating together with another. _He’s such an alpha male. I wonder if he’d let me fuck him …_

“Do you like new opportunities in the bedroom too?” Mitchell asks with a hitch in his voice as he fondles their balls in-between them. He knows that Ivan loves new challenges in other areas. He told him so the other day, but not this. He looks both expectantly but also unsurely down at his bed partner, not sure how to read him, only knowing that the desire for him and for their acts together grows and grows just as their dicks. He can’t believe that a week or so ago he only got turned on by women and now he’s considering to stick his dick into a guy’s arse. A very special guy’s arse.

Ivan stills, trying to read Mitchell’s thoughts behind those brown eyes. “I do,” he smiles. “When someone takes my interest …”

Mitchell stops his movements and swallows, suddenly thinking he has gone too far too quickly. He’s very flattered by the words he hears though. But he doesn’t know what to say to that. He feels nervous all of a sudden. Ivan seems to have lots of experience when it comes to fucking guys. _What if I embarrass myself? What if I misread him and he takes offence?_

Ivan continues to silently hold Mitchell’s gaze, sensing both the pulsing desire but also the inexperienced hesitation, which turns him on in turn.

But as he feels Daisy stir against him his focus on Mitchell is broken.

He grins at his wife as she blinks slowly at the two men. “Hello pumpkin,” he says softly and brushes her hair back, similar to the affection he'd shown Mitchell. “Enjoyed your meal?”

Daisy frowns as she finds Mitchell lying on top of Ivan, rather comfortably. But then she smiles and cuddles up against the both of them, shoving the other girl’s now cold body out of their bed. “Can we go out?” she whines softly against Ivan's skin. “I'm bored.”

Mitchell is a little disappointed as he feels Ivan’s attention shift from him to Daisy. He doesn’t want to go out yet. He wants to finish his halfway started hand job. He’d had this arousing image in his head now of Ivan being at the receiving end of his cock. He huffs into Ivan’s neck as he lets his head fall against his shoulder, not able to hide his frustration.  

Ivan ignores Mitchell’s attention seeking and twirls Daisy’s hair around his finger. “Of course, baby doll,” he smiles at her. “Let's get cleaned up and show our guest the best places in Prague. I doubt Herrick has taken the time to educate you in the history of my city?” he addresses Mitchell again.

“He has not, no,” Mitchell lifts his head again, feeling strangely flattered at being called their guest, “Thank you for the invitation.” But he can’t stop moving his hips against Ivan’s and even dares to stroke Daisy’s hair himself, “I’d like to go out with you both.”

Mitchell takes Daisy’s hand, “I was wondering if Dais could help us with those first though.” He rolls a little to the side and puts her hand against both their cocks.

Ivan flushes and in an instant has rolled them over, pinning Mitchell underneath him as he shifts “ **Who the hell do you think you are, fledgeling** ,” he snarls, baring his fangs. “ **That's MY WIFE! Not some whore to do your bidding!** ”

Mitchell does a double take as he’s finding himself suddenly underneath the other vampire, but he snarls back, “Excuse me?! YOU let me fuck her!” He bucks up against the other, their erections still rock hard. “YOU admitted that you like watching that.” Mitchell snarls now himself, moving, grabbing Ivan’s arse in a tight unhuman grip, his eyes turning to coal black.

Daisy is surprised by the sudden flurry of activity, but she sits herself up and laughs at Mitchell. “Of course he does,” she slowly licks the blood of her fingers. Then she bends herself towards Mitchell, whispering in his ear, “But you are _never_ in charge, sweety,” she says, somewhere between a statement and a warning.

Ivan gives Mitchell a shove against his chest and then jumps up. “Get dressed. Both of you. We're going out.”

Mitchell blinks several times. _What am I? A complete fool?_ He jumps up off the bed himself and is at Ivan’s throat in an instant, “ **What am I? Your puppet**?” He bares his fangs at Ivan. “ **This is NOT how it works with me.** ” And even though he regrets that he will miss the sightseeing tour now, he pulls on his trousers and gathers the remains of his clothes, attempting to make a dash for the door.

_Dejavu!_

Ivan’s hand shoots out, grabbing hold of Mitchell before he reaches the door and he punches him hard in the face, knocking Mitchell to the ground.

Before the younger vampire can react he pulls him to his feet again and pushes Mitchell with his back against the wall, their faces millimetres apart. He stares into his deep black eyes as the other rages silently at him; his own fangs out as he tries to gather his composure. This has not happened in a very long time indeed, someone giving him the cold shoulder like this. Even Daisy has gone quiet now as he contemplates whether to tear this youth limb from limb or …

He laughs softly, his human facade resurfacing as he lets go of Mitchell and brushes down his shirt where he had grabbed hold of him. “Spirit,” he smiles. “You definitely have spirit. I can see why Herrick recruited you. Why your name is whispered around when you're barely more than a child still.”

Mitchell looks up at the taller man, feeling his nose bleed. His face hurting, the bones cracking back into place. He's completely aware of the fact that Ivan could have killed him. "Fuck you," he chuckles though, glad he's still got all of his teeth, especially his canines. "You've got some water to make myself presentable again? **"** he looks a little unsure between the two now, wondering where to go from here.

Ivan snorts but then nods. “Get that taken care of, pumpkin,” he waves his hand at the body on the floor and the bloody sheets as he pulls on a pair of trousers and grabs a shirt. Then he turns back to Mitchell, “Follow me.” And he pushes open the bedroom door and walks into the open plan kitchen.

“Take a seat,” he nods to the unused dining table as he grabs a clean cloth and holds it under the tap.

Mitchell sits down heavily, still rubbing his nose, “I must admit that I could do with a little guidance when it comes to your precious wife …” _and your precious self._

Ivan steps close to Mitchell and carefully dabs the cloth against Mitchell’s face. Initially the other man flinches, probably expecting another assault, but then he relaxes a little as Ivan wipes away the blood almost tenderly. “I apologise,” he says sincerely. “This situation… it's not one I've found myself in before either.”

Mitchell looks up, clearing his throat, surprised at Ivan’s apology. He wants to say something but swallows his words, actually enjoying the newfound tenderness of the other. He sighs and after a few moments he says, “It’s an interesting pattern we have …” he’s tempted to touch Ivan again but keeps his hands to himself, “get close and then fight, jump apart as far as possible...”

Ivan snorts at that. “I've lived alone for a long time. No tribe. No wife. When I found Daisy…” he trails off, struggling still to lower his defences this much and he walks back to the sink to rinse the bloodied cloth and pour them some drinks. He hears the backdoor close, indicating that Daisy must have gone upstairs to get their contacts to clean up their mess. Somehow he finds it easier to talk to Mitchell with her not around. _I really do feel like I have to demonstrate my dominance in front of her_ , he chuckles at his own primal behaviour.

He sits himself down next to Mitchell at the table and pushes a glass of wine towards him. “I really care a lot for her,” he says, looking at Mitchell.

Mitchell takes the offered drink, _Care for her? Not love her?_ he wonders but doesn’t dare to ask that just yet. “She’s a very beautiful hand-full,” he says instead.

Ivan can't help but laugh that. “That she is. I seem to have a weakness for the wicked and the reckless.”

“She’s almost a baby,” Mitchell chuckles and gets up ignoring that that statement includes him. He takes the wet cloth and walks over to Ivan, washing trails of blood from the nape of his neck. “May I ask where you found her?” Mitchell doesn’t know where that personal question came from. Normally he isn’t interested in anybody's private life, but these two fascinate him and he wants to get to know them a little better. He frowns at his own thought, scrubbing Ivan’s back now, kind of relishing in the completely new sensations this gives him.

 “Air raid shelter,” Ivan laughs softly. “She went to hide from the bombs and found a vampire instead. Sometimes life really just _sucks_ doesn't it,” he jests.

“Now she’s a little bomb herself,” Mitchell straightens up again, scrubbing Ivan’s skin makes him all tingly in certain places and for the moment he rather wants to stick to the talking to not get thrown across the room again. He refills their glasses. “I … I’m not used to being with someone either … “

“How many are in your tribe?” Ivan asks casually, taking the opportunity as it's offered.

“Six regular including Herrick and myself,” Mitchell thinks out loud, buttoning up his shirt, “The number of the new recruits changes since some are just not made for this life,” he says coolly. Then he frowns, “Speaking of made for this life … what do you do with the bodies in your house? You seem to feed in here a lot.”

“I told you that Prague is a beautiful city,” Ivan grins, absorbing the information he'd been given. “The guy upstairs and his mother… Let's say life in post war communist Europe can be challenging. And some people are not so choosy in the jobs they are given when the employer pays generously and promises them protection in return. When everyone is suspicious of everyone else and people disappear for saying the wrong thing, a vampire for a neighbour isn't such a bad thing.”

Mitchell chuckles, “Right, of course.” Right now he wants to go out, since he’s buzzing with energy after the kill. And since staying close to Ivan so cosily only makes him think all kinds of inappropriate thoughts which the other doesn’t want to respond to yet, he gets a little agitated, sliding his fingers through his hair. “Have I got any blood stains left?” he asks Ivan since Daisy still didn’t join them. He’d have preferred to address her with that somewhat girly question.

Ivan laughs softly, shaking his head. “Looking perfect.” _You always do._ “Now then, perhaps you can tell me what exactly your expectations are from _this_. How do you see yourself fitting into this arrangement then, John?”

Mitchell stares at Ivan in complete surprise. That is surely not a question he had expected just yet. “I … I don’t know,” he suddenly gets nervous, unsure of himself.

“Come now, after all that bravado in front of Daisy you can't go all tongue-tied on me now. You won't play by my rules, fine. Make me a proposal to consider then. And I'll tell you whether I might be interested or whether I will kill you for it.”

“Fine,” Ivan’s words never fail to hit all of Mitchell’s buttons at once. He steps very close into his personal space and says under his breath, “You like to bury your dick into my arse, I think that is something for you to consider.” _And maybe the other way round._ He kisses him quickly and fiercely, then steps away, getting all calm a nonchalant himself, “I’d like for us to talk and have fun, too.” He clears his throat, “with Daisy as well.”

“I let you fuck my wife, you let me fuck you and in between we all act as civilised people together?” Ivan holds Mitchell’s gaze for a long time. “All right,” he says eventually. “Under one condition.”

Mitchell grins, leaning across the table, “One condition?”

“Perhaps two,” Ivan grins back. “You will tell no one else about this. And you will keep me informed of everything that goes on in Herrick’s nest.”

Mitchell hadn’t expected politics at all to be one of these conditions. Since he doesn’t feel very loyal to Herrick anymore he has no problems with that. And who would be interested in what he’s doing anyway. It’s not that he has a lover or wife at home as well. He’s actually very pleased with Ivan’s answer. Looks like a new, different, more interesting way of life may be on the cards for a while.

But this is too easy, his inner rebel wants a real challenge, and so he looks straight into Ivan’s eyes when he says very quietly, “I have a condition too.” 

Ivan raises his eyebrows, once more surprised by Mitchell’s audacity and bravado. “And what is that?”

Mitchell holds Ivan’s piercing gaze, aware that for his answer he could be attacked again, maybe even killed, but he loves to play, loves the thrill of challenging the much older vampire. So he leans even closer as he murmurs, “You let me fuck you too.”

Ivan actually chokes on his wine at that suggestion. That was the very last thing he was expecting and for the first time since he can remember he is actually speechless. _Fuck me?_ He doesn't know how he feels about that idea.

Right at that moment Daisy comes flying into the kitchen, clean and dressed in her favourite dress. “Ready!” she squeals excitedly.

Ivan throws Mitchell a wicked smile. “I shall think on it,” he promises, rising to his feet and wrapping his arm around Daisy’s waist, kissing her soft mouth.

“Think on what?” Daisy asks curiously, but Ivan kisses her deeply, shaking his head.  “Nothing sweetcakes, men's business,” he winks at Mitchell. “Now let's show our guest what else Prague has to offer.”


	4. Chapter 4

Herrick studies Mitchell keenly. Something has changed. He isn't sure what yet, but he knows that there something different about his protégé. Somehow he acts differently. Perhaps the contrast is only there because the babies are so feral still. They're like a school of piranhas when they dine on the prey that Mitchell dutifully lures to their nest. But Mitchell acts like a mother cat now, maiming the prey for their litter to finish off. But he no longer partakes in the group kills himself.

And yet the smell of fresh blood always hangs around him like a cloak; clearly he's feeding somewhere …

And so tonight, as the handsome vampire slips through the door after he's deposited an elderly man before the fledglings, Herrick follows him curiously, leaving Seth to look after the brood. He wants to know what Mitchell gets up to each night when he leaves quietly only to return several hours later in high spirits.

Of course he'd asked him straight out. But the other had just shrugged, saying that he liked the city and that he liked to hunt at the edge of the district. That was all good and well and whilst he supplied their nest with plenty of food Herrick did not care too much. But over the last week or so he had started to feel a little put out by these disappearances for hours on end. He and Mitchell had always hunted together before they came here. And Herrick has to admit he actually misses those nights.

+++

Mitchell is pissed that Herrick is following him tonight. His maker is trying very hard to conceal himself but Mitchell has been on this game for too long now to not notice another vampire sniffing after him, especially not a familiar one like the one who created him.

He stops around a corner and hides in a dark doorway. The wind has just changed direction so Herrick won’t be sure where he went. He wants a smoke but thinks better of it.

After a few sightseeing tours through Prague with Ivan and lots of lessons in vampire history – in between the sex and feeding, sometimes with and sometimes without Daisy - Mitchell has been invited for dinner at their house tonight and he is running late already. He is very much looking forward to it since Ivan always is able to engage his formerly bored brain into discussions that captivate his mind; that make him use his intellect and encourage him to think about his circumstances and what to do with his life.

He had also enjoyed their second night in the jazz club together, where he even got to dance with Daisy, and later on, in a very drunk crowd, with Ivan; both laughing like crazy, celebrated with a glorious feast after.

When he is with Ivan, it feels like not only his body is half way aroused during the hours they spend with each other, but his mind as well. A very new, very welcoming experience.

Now he hopes the he can shake Herrick off as he makes his way silently through a backyard and over a wall.

+++

Herrick growls when he turns another corner with no sight of Mitchell. If he knew no better he'd say the younger vampire knows he is following him and is trying to avoid him. Now if that were the case the real question is _why_. What could Mitchell possibly want to hide from him. Over the last three and a half decades they'd shared together Mitchell had been loyal to him like a shepherd's dog. He'd indulged with him in every treat that Herrick had introduced the younger man to; from gambling to dog fights and whores to blood orgies. It was what made Mitchell so delightful. Not only did he follow him, he actually entertained every suggestion with a dark delight that rivalled Herrick’s. Not only participated, but added to each pleasure with the very best he could lay his charm to. 

And yet here he was slithering away from him like a serpent. Why? What has Mitchell found that had drawn his attention away from his own tribe. 

+++

Ivan watches Daisy twirl in the black frock that he had gifted her. Normally she does not give much for sparkles and glamour, but these days with Mitchell swooning around her she has accepted his gifts with glee.

“You look nice,” he compliments, pouring himself a glass of strong local liquor.

“Thank you, husband,” she giggles and throws her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely. “You don’t look bad either.” She admires his perfectly tailored suit of the latest fashion, matching shirt and tie. Daisy loves his elegant style, always has. Ivan is her perfect gentleman.

Now, though, another has grabbed her attention too. John Mitchell. A completely different type of man. Rebel, bad boy, saxophone player extraordinaire, prince of darkness. He’s way younger than Ivan, from the looks of it, almost her own age in mortal years. And although he is older than her in vampire years, compared to Ivan they are both but adolescents. Mitchell still has this boyish grin when they’re up for some mischief together. Sometimes it feels like she’s found a lost big brother, if it weren’t for the hot sex they shared, always under Ivan’s watchful eye...

She’s very eager to show her husband’s gift to Mitchell, looking forward to the glint in his eyes as he devours her with his dark glance.

Ivan doesn't mind that Daisy is so blatant in her affection for Mitchell. Over the last few weeks the handsome young man had really become an integral part of both of them, offering them each something that they could simply not offer each other. For him it was the intellectual challenge. A hungry pupil to share his knowledge with. Who challenged him in heated debates about the morality of humans and vampires alike. He loves how Mitchell absorbs everything like a sponge and yet he is never afraid to question him, arguing on points that he is knowledgeable and passionate about.

As for Daisy … Ivan truly cares for her, more than he has cared for any woman in a long long time. She lives up to her name - his flower, brightening even his darkest of nights. But underneath that thin veneer of hyper alertness and crazy wickedness is a very fragile and very human girl still. Ivan can see it when her gaze goes distant. When she suddenly grows still, unsure of herself. He does not know how to respond to those things; he cannot relate to them and does not know how to comfort her. All he can offer is sharp sarcasm and painful truths. He feels no empathy anymore, no love, not like that anyway. Those human emotions are too distant now, drowned and washed away by the endless decades of blood.

But Mitchell makes her laugh. John Mitchell, the infamous ripper of post war Europe, actually shares with her something that Ivan can no longer, filling the void. A kinship almost. Somewhere between romantic and sibling love.

It fascinates him to watch them interact. There is the screwing, of course, and the feeding. But as Daisy has become more comfortable around Mitchell she has started to confide in him. And Mitchell in turn has become almost as protective over her as he is.

There is still an outstanding debt between him and the youngster; that he has not forgotten. He downs his drink and pours another as he grins about their bargain again. Mitchell had honoured his side. Each time they met he had told Ivan about any recruits, the number of kills and what connections Herrick had that tidied up after them. Ivan could tell that Mitchell only did this to please him. And possibly in the hope that as he proved his loyalty and trustworthiness to Ivan that he in turn would honour his side of the deal.

Not yet...

+++

Mitchell knocks at Ivan’s and Daisy’s back door impatiently. He knows he’s thrown Herrick of scent but he isn’t sure for how long. His maker knows the city just as well as he does.

“Mitchell,” Ivan smiles pleasantly as he opens the door. He immediately senses the other’s agitation. “Everything alright?”

Mitchell closes the door quickly and lights a smoke, pulling deeply, shaking his head, “Not sure, Herrick followed me but I think I was able to shake him off.”

“Herrick?” Ivan raises an eyebrow. He pulls the door open again and peers outside into the dark courtyard. But he can sense no-one; human or vampire. And so he closes the door again and offers to take Mitchell’s coat. “Why is Herrick following you?” he asks though.

"I don't know," Mitchell kisses Daisy on the cheek. "Hello beautiful," he winks and twirls her around which makes her giggle. Then he turns serious again as he addresses Ivan, "He's asked me where I'm going before. I guess he doesn't like me going out on my own anymore, without him." Mitchell sits down in the big comfortable armchair, patting his thigh, waving Daisy over to sit on it. 

Daisy flings herself onto Mitchell’s lap, keeping half an eye on her husband, but he says nothing and so she kisses Mitchell fiercely. “We've missed you!” she purrs, curling up against him like a giant cat.

“Hm,” Ivan contemplates what Mitchell had said about Herrick, pouring the other vampire a glass of the liquor he'd been drinking and topping up his own. “Has something changed? Is there any reason why he may suddenly be asking you this question?”

Mitchell caresses Daisy's back as he accepts the glass from Ivan, scanning the object of his gay desire thoroughly, his cock awakening between Daisy's squirming and Ivan's mere presence. The way he speaks, the way he holds himself like he's from a noble family. He tries to answer the question though. He knows that if Ivan is not in the mood, nothing goes between the sheets. "I think he misses his routine. We always did go on the hunt together..." He trails off, realising how strange that sounds and it makes him aware that he hadn't behaved as subtle as he thought he did.

“I love your new dress,” he whispers matter of fact into Daisy’s ear.

 Daisy jumps up and twirls herself around again before Mitchell, keen to capture his interest. “Ivan bought it for me especially for tonight,” she grins. “He said tonight was going to be real special ...” She hangs herself off Ivan's shoulder fluttering her lashes at him, willing him to move on from the tedious conversation.

“I guess that's a reasonable explanation,” Ivan nods though, undeterred. “Herrick doesn't like to let his pet off the leash …”

"Pet?!" Mitchell groans, looking at Daisy and Ivan in turn. They're so different. Ivan focusing on politics, Daisy trying to seduce Mitchell by batting her lashes at him, showing him her leg with new black nylon stockings.

He clears his throat, trying to ignore Ivan's mockery, "Do you think he'll feel my presence inside the house since he's my maker?" he asks, while he wonders what Daisy's words mean.

“Are you afraid of him?” Ivan seats himself in the other leather chair, sipping his drink casually as he fingers thrum on the armrest.

“Afraid? No,” Mitchell blurts out, wanting to show Ivan how independent he is. But in truth he doesn’t really know what Herrick is up to. He’s seen him killing vampires before, those who did not do his bidding, those who started to oppose him. He tries to appear cool but also tries to listen to the outside both with his ears and his senses.

“You should be,” Ivan smiles his usual cool smile. “Why do you think I take an interest in someone like Herrick. Why not any of the other tribes. You know I don't like to get involved, I think I've made that plenty clear during our conversations.”

Daisy looks from her husband to Mitchell and back. She knows Ivan had spent a lot of time with Mitchell  alone. And when it's the three of them the conversation never turns to politics. She sighs a little at that but keeps quiet nonetheless.

Mitchell frowns. He hadn't thought about that this way and he suddenly wonders if he's only a means to get information about Herrick for Ivan and not something else. "I have heard rumours that we have a special bloodline," he snarls between gritted teeth, pulling out his last cigarette.

Ivan puts down his glass and lights one of his smokes, throwing the half full packet in Mitchell’s direction. In turn he pats his knee to allow Daisy to climb into his embrace this time, and he kisses her neck.

“The blood… _our_ blood… few know how to nourish it. Most recruits, they are mere workers. Do you know anything about bees, Mitchell?” 

“Bees?” Mitchell snorts and looks at Ivan dumbfounded, “They’re insects that sting and are useful for making honey.” He feels like he is back in school. “What has that to do with our blood?”

Daisy shifts impatiently on Ivan's lap, feeling as much at a loss as Mitchell is where Ivan is going with this. “Baby …” she moans softly, but doesn’t push further when Ivan strokes her back softly. She knows if she doesn't interrupt him now whilst he's talking to Mitchell he will be in a better mood later to enjoy more interesting pursuits. 

“Indeed,” Ivan blows out his smoke and then chews on the end of his cigarette for a moment, before adding, “You see Mitchell, the only difference between a worker bee and a queen bee is nourishment. Only the queen is fed the very special royal jelly for her entire life, whereas the workers are weaned off it after just a couple of days.”

Mitchell tries to work out in his head what the meaning of that is to him and Herrick and their tribe. He feels Daisy’s impatience and her hotness even from across the room and he’d rather play with her instead of doing riddles. But he feels that this subject is very important so he indicates to the bottle on the table and asks, “May I? I really don’t see where you’re going with this, Ivan.”

Ivan nods to the bottle. “Vampire tribes are like beehives, John. Most of the fledglings are just workers, there to serve the tribe, to maintain the nest and to pamper the queen.” He suddenly leans himself forward, causing Daisy to jump off his lap. “The interesting thing though, Mitchell, is that in a beehive there can only be one queen. If multiple larvae have been raised to become the next queen then the strongest will kill the others. Or the swarm splits in two. A tribe with two king vampires… now that's interesting…” he says more to himself than Mitchell as he gets up and begins to pace slowly.

Mitchell looks up at the older man and suddenly something dawns on him, “I’ve recruited these workers for months …” he sips his drink thoughtfully, stretching his long legs in front of him, “You keep calling me prince …” a pull from his cigarette, “But he wouldn’t let me split the hive … the tribe…” Mitchell is confused still, thinking out loud, “He is the one in charge. He’s the one who gets pampered by everyone.” _And fuck I’m still afraid of him. Here I thought I could start my own life, stand on my own two feet and not always in his shadow._

“Right.” Ivan stops pacing and just observes Mitchell for a while. “And so that takes me back to my earlier question. Why am I interested in this particular queen bee and not any of the others.” He takes a few steps towards Mitchell and bends himself down, studying his handsome features closely. “A very special bloodline indeed,” he murmurs softly, drinking in Mitchell’s scent. “But only when it is nurtured right.”

“ _You_ get stronger when you drink from me?” Mitchell suddenly blurts out the first thought that occurred to him when Ivan got that close. Even without drinking it gave him an energy jolt.

Ivan smirks. “Don't flatter yourself. I have lived your lifetime several times over. Your blood is a mere indulgence. I would rather think it's the other way round.” He straightens himself again, turning his back to Mitchell. “I am saying that you might want to watch your back. Herrick wanted a strong worker and instead he got a potential challenger. Curious though that he did not kill you. Rather he has groomed you to be his second in command. But for that he'll want to keep you close to his side. He can't allow you to go off on your own.”

Mitchell sighs at that, letting the words sink in, “He likes to call me his poster boy,” he muses, staring into his half empty glass. “And I think he likes to have me around. He’s never letting anyone really close except Seth, but he’s mere his lackey. Mitchell looks at Ivan, “I have never thought about it this way. It never occurred to me either that I might want to go my own way.”

At that Ivan raises a curious eyebrow but smiles sadly. “There are few of us who leave their tribe willingly, Mitchell. And fewer still who do it alone. It sends us mad …” he lets his gaze grow distant for a moment before grabbing Daisy around her waist and kissing her deeply. “We all need a companion.”

“Hm,” Mitchell contemplates this, “I guess companions can change during the lifespan of a vampire. Daisy is almost a baby…” _Who did you have before her? What happened?_ He doesn’t want to say that out loud with Daisy around so he keeps his mouth shut. He doesn’t want to go into more detail about him and Herrick either. He has to give that some thought himself first.

Daisy scowls at Mitchell for that remark about being a baby and bares her tingling fangs at him. She is annoyed with her husband for continuing this strange conversation about bees and queen vampires when all she really wants is to eat and then get screwed into oblivion by the both of them. She is tempted to say something to Ivan but in the end she just grabs the bottle of expensive champagne and drinks straight from it. “So Mitchell is a vampire king?” she asks lazily, not really interested in the answer.

Ivan doesn't respond to Daisy as he looks at  Mitchell. “We're not bees, Mitchell, we're vampires,” he snorts at the puzzlement on the others face. “Nonetheless a vampire never changes his tribe without due cause. You want to start a war amongst our people?”

“What do you want me to do, Ivan? Go straight back to Herrick? I don’t understand,” Mitchell huffs in frustration. “Of course I don’t want to start a war. I’ve enough of fucking wars. I came to you to learn how to survive boredom, how to integrate into society without being looked at suspiciously because I’m not getting older.” He paces now furiously, “Now you tell me my maker is raising me to become some sort of leader …” Mitchell steps close into Ivan’s personal space and pokes him in the chest with his finger. “I don’t want to be a fucking leader. I want to lead a normal life! Like you.”

Ivan laughs loudly at that. “What the fuck is a normal life, John Mitchell? Living for eternity on the blood of humans is what this life is and everything else is just peripheral.” He pulls Mitchell against him and kisses him as deeply as he had Daisy.

“Shall we eat?” he changes the topic of conversation abruptly. “Ladmilla has cooked us a delightful meal. I thought you might want to appreciate some human food before dessert... “

"Human food?" Mitchell says breathlessly after that kiss, his head spinning. He had been wondering between their musings about bees if that strong smell came from the neighbourhood. He looks questioningly at Daisy whilst he's mulling Ivan's words about his own blood line over in his head. Again the Old One threw him a bone and lets him chew on it for now.

Ivan walks over to the dining table and pulls out a chair for Mitchell. “When was the last time you had a feast that wasn't drenched in human blood?” he asks sweetly.

Mitchell shakes his head again at Ivan’s abrupt mood and topic swings. He sits down on the chair kind of dutifully, “A feast?” he asks, noticing the nicely set table now. “Some Christmas when I was a child ....” He’s not sure how his stomach feels about human food though.

“Then allow me to reintroduce you to this simple pleasure,” Ivan says softly close to Mitchell’s ear before pulling out a chair for Daisy also.

Relieved that her husband has dropped the conversation, Daisy gleefully sits herself down, looking at Mitchell with a barely concealed hunger.

Ivan walks to the doorway and pulls a cord, before seating himself down also. He grabs the bottle of wine that Mitchell had already opened and tops up their glasses, smiling brightly at the young man who once more looks like a fish out of water.

“I’m not sure if my stomach can handle food,” Mitchell looks at the both of them doubtfully. “Do you do that often?” He has no problem with drinking alcohol. He always figured that that is fine because it is liquid too. But things like meat or bread?

“When the mood takes me,” Ivan smiles. “It takes some practice to relearn to enjoy it,  but when you do you will find it a pleasant distraction. It won't replace the blood; it doesn't offer anywhere near the same relief from the hunger. But it can be a supplement.” He raises his glass. “Besides, if you want to truly blend in with human society then you must learn to eat their food again. Na zdraví!”

Mitchell raises his glass to both of them too, winking at Daisy and then looks expectantly at an elderly woman as she comes in with a huge tray. The smell that wafts from out of the big and smaller pots is pleasant actually. It’s not that he never has smelled human food anymore, it just did not register in his brain. Now that he really pays attention to it brings back long forgotten memories. He clears his throat, feeling embarrassed and all sorts of nervous. He really doesn’t know how to go for this and so he decides to take it very slowly.

 Daisy begins to help herself to the various dishes that are revealed to them. Ivan had made sure that she continued to eat meat and other human dishes such as potatoes and cabbage almost from the moment she was turned and so she has no problem with this although it's merely a treat, not a real meal. She grins at Mitchell though as he unsurely picks at a piece of sausage, especially after his earlier comment about her being a baby still.

“Děkuji, Ladmilla,” Ivan thanks the older woman, passing her a few koruny. Since he had paid for all of this food - which few could even get access to let alone afford these days - and allowing her to keep some of the spoils for herself and her son had at least secured her silence and cooperation for a good while longer.

He turns to Mitchell as soon as the woman has left. “Try it,” he nods to the other.

Mitchell helps himself to a small amount of red cabbage, a dumpling and lots of sauce. He hesitantly cuts a piece of pork, barely remembering how to use knife and fork properly and puts it into his mouth, chewing, tasting. _Not so bad._ After he swallows it, he actually expects it to come straight up again so he waits. He looks at the other two in awe how they so easily could pass for a proper human couple. He never thought of eating human food again.But Ivan has made a good point there to incorporate that into this pretence of normal life, as he put it.

Ivan smiles as he cuts the meat on his plate and begins to eat himself. It's amusing watching Mitchell try the food with such apprehension, but truly this isn't about putting the handsome man in an awkward position. Rather it's just another lesson in their survival in a world still dominated by humans. 

“And?” he asks after a while when at least Mitchell hasn’t spat it straight back out.

“It’s not so bad.” Mitchell tries a few pieces of the meat, which isn’t as awkward to eat as the dumplings and vegetables. But as he observes how easily, and a little obscenely, Daisy eats two of the sausages, he gets more adventurous and starts to chew more forcefully, letting the actual taste of the cooked meat flood his taste buds. It’s definitely not as revolting as he had thought.

Ivan nods in approval. He loves that Mitchell always is willing to try whatever he throws at him.

He thinks about Herrick though as he eats slowly. About what he had said to Mitchell about him and what he had not said. _You_ are _a king vampire. The blood of the Old Ones is strong in you. You must have drunk a lot when he made you. I wonder if that was Herrick’s intention from the start … He sure would not have counted on you drinking from me too though_ , he grins inwardly.

“We've got nice afters,” Daisy licks her lips at Mitchell. “Something to get you in the mood…”

Mitchell’s ears perk up at that. He’s glad he’s managed his first human meal after thirty five years rather successfully and dabs the expensive napkin against his lips; for once not to wipe blood away but sauce. He’s glad they’ve moved away from the heritage theme now even though everything keeps circling in his head. There are lots of questions he still wants to ask Ivan. But he has the strange feeling now that he cannot come here that often anymore as he has during the last weeks, with Herrick watching his every move.

“I like desert,” he grins at Daisy, reaching for her hand across the table and kissing the back of it. “I hope it’s what I think it is. _”_  

Ivan grins, wiping his mouth also. He is curious how Mitchell will respond to this challenge, feeling his arousal rise at the prospect.

He pours them another drink. Daisy is getting excited now, he can feel it radiate from her and can smell her heat already. He feels for her thigh under the table, and rubs his fingers over her bare pussy underneath her dress, feeling her wetness.

Daisy lets out a wanton moan as Ivan feels her up. She looks at Mitchell from under her eyelashes. If it was down to her she'd have them right there and then, on the dining table, but she knows that's not how Ivan works. When he has a plan he will stick to it and trying to get him to divert from it will only upset him.

Mitchell sniffs and listens intently. He smirks, hearing and smelling how wet Daisy is as Ivan fingers her. He feels Ivan’s and his own arousal rise almost simultaneously. He licks his lips, wondering what happens next.

Ivan leans across to kiss Daisy slowly, sliding his tongue into her mouth, loving the sensation he feels from Mitchell as he watches them hungrily. So have been their gameplays these last few weeks when it has been the three of them. Working each other into a frenzy.

When he breaks the kiss and gets to his feet he smiles a wicked smile at Mitchell. “Will you follow me, my honoured guest?”

“It will be my pleasure,” Mitchell has a slight problem to get up from the chair with his raging hard on and adjusts it, groaning. He slides his hand over both Ivan’s and Daisy’s backsides as they walk in front of him.

Ivan pulls the cord again on their way to the back, letting the old woman know that they have finished with the food upstairs. Then he leads Mitchell and Daisy down the stairs towards the old cellar.

He stops before the locked door, pulling out an old key and smiles briefly at Mitchell before pushing the door open. He is the first to step into the semi darkness, letting his eyes scan the small room they've created here. A couple of chairs. Some half filled wine racks,  partly covered in thick layers of dust, a small wardrobe. And on the one side a large bed, covered in fine sheets.

He grins at the young man on the bed, nodding in acknowledgement as he allows Mitchell to step into the room.

“That looks like a very appropriate desert,” Mitchell whispers in Daisy’s ear as he closes the door behind them, letting his hand slide up and down her bare thigh. He’s not bold enough yet to do things like that to Ivan as well until the older man has more or less invited him to get closer. His hand is twitching though. The slight nervousness he senses from the young man on the bed gets his blood thirst growing.

Ivan turns his back on the young man and puts his hands on Mitchell’s shoulders. “I haven't forgotten my side of the bargain,” he whispers into Mitchell’s ear, his lips brushing the shell. “He's yours to play with,” he says a little louder. “He knows what we are. One rule, don't kill this one.” He softly pats Mitchell’s cheek.

Mitchell blinks in surprise. He did not expect that at all. He has no problem to fuck random women but another guy than Ivan?

“He knows what we are?” he asks, walking closer to the blond, sniffing at his neck, his appetite rising. “Not killing him either?” he lets his hand travel down his chest, feeling the human heart pound wildly, “What is he? Your pet or something?” There is a strange, unpleasant new feeling churning in his gut he doesn’t like. _He’s got another guy beside me?_

 Daisy watches Mitchell whilst she circles Ivan. She'd known about the cellar; after all they did sometimes use it for some of their wilder game plays. She'd also known that Ivan has brought in someone whom he had said was a gift to Mitchell. But she is as surprised as the other vampire by the young man on the bed, naked and very clearly aroused.

Ivan steps closer to Mitchell, running his hands down his back and squeezing his nice backside. “There is market for everything, John, an answer for every desire. You only need to have enough money and influence.” He grazes his teeth along Mitchell’s neck. “Prove to me you can please him… And no, he's not my _pet_. He's here for you.”

 _Please him?  “_ Here for me…” Mitchell gets the shivers from Ivan’s tiny attentions but he must admit he also gets turned on by the sight of the handsome man on the bed. He can see his blood pulse so very close to the surface of his skin. “Thank you then,” he sits on the bed. “How do you know what we are?” he looks at the guy and lets his eyes shift.

“He told me,” the blond man nods to Ivan. “I … I'm okay with it,” he says a little unsurely at first, the presence of all three of them making him almost regret his decision to accept Ivan's offer. But he finds his charm, the younger man turning him on enormously. “I can make you feel really good,” he purrs, straightening himself up and boldly putting his arms around Mitchell’s neck, exposing his throat to him.

Daisy makes little noises of surprised pleasure when Ivan grabs her by the waist,  pulling up her skirt. “You want to watch them, pumpkin?” he licks her full lips.

“Of course,” she steadies herself with her arms on the bed frame, exposing her pussy to her husband, “I want a sip too though,” she pouts. _And a bit of Mitchell’s cock. I always get to play with him._

“Of course, sweetcakes,” Ivan promises as he bends her further over and pushes his fingers deep into her while his free hand fumbles with his trousers.

Mitchell gets fully aroused now by the play of his two companions and frees his hard on. “Turn around, on all fours, face them,” he orders. He wants to see Ivan’s face as he puts his dick into this stranger. He really isn’t sure how he’s going please a guy he doesn’t know. Not at his first attempt anyway, but he’s happy to give it his best shot.

“His name is Elias,” Ivan smiles as Mitchell takes control. He rubs his thumb over Daisy's clit,making her whimper loudly.

“Yes…” the young man says breathlessly. He does as he's ordered, presenting his backside to Mitchell. As he comes face to face with Daisy he startles though when her black eyes stare back at him.

Daisy giggles as she sees the wide open eyes of Elias. She licks her lips as she squirms against her husband’s long fingers.

“ **Let’s play,”** Mitchell says, thinking of all the ways Ivan had used to please _him_ over the last weeks. He kneels behind the slender guy and rubs his ass cheeks, pulls them apart concentrating on the rose there. He spits on it.

Elias circles his hips a little. His cock stands hard against his stomach in anticipation. As he looks down between his legs he can see the vampire’s nice hard cock tremble.

Ivan watches Mitchell closely. He has his own dick in his hand now, rubbing it against Daisy's thigh. He hasn't felt this aroused in a long time. And he feels his darkside dance very close to the surface. Dangerously so.

Mitchell smears his spit all around that pucker nicely, his nervousness growing. He feels Ivan’s gaze upon him and Dais’ as well. It’s like going through an exam. He shakes his head and smirks as he lets his middle finger carefully intrude into Elias’ body. “Is that nice for you?” he asks, looking straight into Ivan’s eyes. 

Although the young man answers with a husky _ooooh yes_ ,  Ivan feels that the question is just as much directed at him and his own entrance flutters pleasantly as if Mitchell is doing that to him. He pulls his trousers down fully now and fucks three fingers slowly into Daisy, straining against the hunger he feels.

“Please, sweet cheeks,” Daisy begs as she wickedly stares into Elias’ eyes, letting her tongue dance over her fangs, “give me your cock!”

Mitchell lets his finger slide slowly into the other’s body, looking down briefly as it is grabbed very forcefully. _It is different, being on the receiving end._ He thinks. And he surely wouldn’t have been that careful with his prey if it wouldn’t have been for the order to _please_ the guy. He looks over to Ivan and Daisy again as he murmurs, “Adding another finger, how’s that for you? Nice and tight? Full?” he teases, feeling his own hole twitch in hot memory of Ivan’s hard shaft in there.

“Yes. Please sir, your cock,” Elias whimpers, not sure how he's expected to address the vampire.

Ivan smiles as both the young man and Daisy are begging so shamelessly. He holds Mitchell’s gaze without blinking as he very slowly pushes his erection into Daisy’s very wet flower, his fangs dropping as he does so. 

Daisy mewls and squirms as she never gets tired of her husband entering her like that. She tries to catch Mitchell’s gaze, wondering what he’s going to do next. She would love to see. Everything her new friend does makes her hot. He looks so concentrated right now.

Mitchell is a little surprised as the guy is begging for his cock but he can’t wait any longer anyway. When Ivan’s dark side emerges, his cock twitches painfully. He fucks the guy swiftly a few times with his fingers, then presses his cock head against the inviting pink, slightly open bud. He hisses sharply, pleasurably, as he enters the young man. This is truly an exquisite feeling. His fangs drop instantly. _Fuck that’s good!_ He glares at Ivan as he sinks himself deeper and deeper inch by inch, imagining it is his mentor’s channel he drives himself in. He groans loudly, unashamedly.

Ivan struggles for a moment to keep his control as Mitchell buries himself deep into the handsome young man. He can see the intense pleasure it gives him and jolts of electricity pulse through his own behind as he pictures what it must look like from Mitchell’s perspective. He pulls Daisy back hard against his pelvis, fucking into her delicious body with abandon. His vampire vision can see her arousal pulls around her now like an aura, Mitchell and Elias glowing with equal desire and pleasure too.

Elias moans softly as he's spread by the vampire's cock. When he opens his eyes he sees the true image of his host and the woman before him - black eyes and sharp animal fangs - and a natural fear grips him, but he bites his lip, reminding himself that the older looking man had promised his safety.

Mitchell shafts himself deep into the guy, thrusting forward with everything he’s got, forgetting that he’s human. But from the sounds of it he likes it a lot. He senses the fear mingled in the excitement and lets his tongue travel across his back, “Relax, I’m not allowed to kill you, remember?” he scratches his skin with his fangs slightly, red bloody heat scorching through him immediately.

“Y-yes,” Elias whimpers. He loves the vampires touches on his skin, the sharp scrape of his fangs and that delightful dick inside his ass. “Good, feels good,” he pants.

 _Good. Hope that confirms that he likes it._ Mitchell can barely think now. The image of Ivan fucking Daisy always gives him a hard on and now, that his is so nicely massaged, makes it even more delicious. “Tell them how much you like it,” he orders, adjusting his angle slightly, rutting even more fiercely into the guy, grabbing his hips hard, guiding him on his cock. _Fuck, can’t wait for this to be Ivan’s hole._

Daisy grins her wolf like grin at the young man as he howls his pleasure  on Mitchell’s command. Her heat pulses pleasantly around Ivan's cock and he feels for her special place where he drives into her, wanting her to come before he does.

Mitchell licks along the guy’s spine, feeling his  hunger grow until he can’t dance on the threshold between human and vampire any longer. His fangs scratch along the guy’s skin again, deeper this time, leaving a long trail which he laps up with this tongue. Then he bites down at the swiftly pulsing vein, his dick pulsing in the same rhythm inside the blond’s ass.

With a grunt Ivan climaxes as soon as Mitchell gives himself to his inner demon, shooting his seed deep into his lady’s flower. He sinks his own fangs into the soft join between her neck and shoulder, sucking up her sweet dark blood, which adds more pleasure as he holds her tight, riding out the pulses in his cock.

Daisy’s eyes roll back as she feels her husband spend into her so soon. She clamps his cock with her inner muscles, wrings out the last drop of him as he hits her inner pleasure spots just right.

She keens like an animal in heat when she sees Mitchell drink from the stranger. She shuffles a little forward, mindful to not lose Ivan just yet from inside of her and bites Elias into his shoulder, making a very appreciative sound. The human man screams in surprise as the sharp pain tears through his shoulder. But with the other vampire still driving into him relentlessly he can but give in and soon the pain just adds to all the other sensations that make his dick drip precum onto the silk sheets.

Mitchell wants to hold it a bit longer, showing off his stamina. He feels the guy shudder as Daisy starts to feed from him too. He senses that she’s just come. Her sweet female scent clouding the air. He strokes one hand through her curls then straightens up and withdraws his aching cock from the tight hole and his fangs too, to look at a wrecked Ivan. His normally nicely styled hair hanging loosely across his forehead, his hands trembling on Daisy’s hips. The image does him in though as soon as he shoves his dick back into that hot channel and laps up the fresh, warm, human blood. 

Elias squeezes his inner muscles around the guy's cock, his little professional pride at stake to make sure his customer gets what he's paid for. He wants to touch himself but the woman makes that impossible as she holds him in position. Until the older vampire pulls her away and he's able to breath raggedly again, just as he can feel the one fucking him reach his peak.

As Daisy leaps forward and takes Elias cock into her hand, grabbing Mitchell by the hair and devours him, her mouth tasting like the best dessert ever, Mitchell comes inside the guy, battling Daisy’s tongue relentlessly as he sends spurt after spurt of his seed into that gripping heat. He’s never felt better before, he feels like he’s milked to his very last drop. “ **Fuck!”** he pants into Daisy’s mouth.

Ivan stumbles onto the bed with the others. He strokes the wet hair of the young man out of the way and without a word slowly sinks his fangs into his neck, no longer able to hold back the thirst that now aches within him.

The blood is so good, thick with stimulation. Whilst his erection subsides his fangs throb with a similar sensation as he slowly drinks from the trembling young man.

Mitchell slowly comes back out of his trance as he feels Ivan beside him. He leans back against the bed frame, pulling Daisy into his arms. As he takes in the young man on his stomach and Ivan feeding on him, he remembers what they’d agreed to before they started.

“We were not supposed to kill him. I suggest you stop, if you stay true to your word…” he trails the back of his hand across his mouth.

Daisy doesn’t care one way or the other, she likes to watch her husband drink from that guy. She likes to see him stripped bare of all his nice manners and show his true nature. She cuddles into Mitchell’s side as she reaches for one of the human’s calves. Mitchell prays her fingers loose and wordlessly shakes his head.

 She pouts put stops, biting Mitchell’s neck instead, giggling high on the blood.

Ivan hears Mitchell’s voice but it sounds distant as if he is several feet underwater. He also hears the young man's heartbeat race as his body struggles to pump enough blood around his organs now. That sound drowns everything else out until it slows to breaking point. 

 **“IVAN!”** Mitchell rips his mentor away from Elias’ throat. Expecting an assault himself and readies his defences. He liked the sound of the other’s heart fading and almost wanted to join him again. But he isn’t sure how Ivan reacts when he didn’t help him to keep his word. He knows how much that means to his elder by now. Not sure when it comes to humans though. He holds the taller man close and walks them back to the opposite wall.

Daisy stares wide eyed at completely bonkers behaving Mitchell, huddling in the very corner of the bed, knees to her chest, expecting her husband to throw a major tantrum.

Ivan bares his bloody fangs, trying to push Mitchell off but to his surprise he finds that the other is able to hold him back. “ **Get of me!** ” he snarls. 

“I have nothing against killing,” Mitchell holds the other as tight as he can, “But I got the impression you hold your word very high,” he states firmly. 

At that Ivan laughs. He manages to twist himself round now and grabs Mitchell as hard as he grips him. “My instruction was for _you_ not to kill him!” he snaps, but he has his demon back under control now. “Still,” he smirks, slapping Mitchell’s hand away, realising just how compromising this is, “at least you managed to do that. And…” he grabs the back of Mitchell’s head firmly, breathing the smell of the fresh blood in his face, “you fucked him real nice.” He kisses him hard. “Best see if he's still breathing then,” he adds casually. 

Mitchell blinks, stumbling back as Ivan lets go of him. Two praises in one and it looks like he got through his exam. He’s still not sure if Ivan will keep to _that_ particular word though.

As he gets closer to the bed he can feel a faint heartbeat. He frowns at that, “Looks like we’ve pretty much drained him …”

Ivan buttons up his trousers. “Choice is yours. Leave him be and see if he wakes up in the morning or kill him now.” He licks the blood from his fingers before taking off his shirt and grabbing a fresh one from the wardrobe in the corner.

Daisy looks pleadingly at Mitchell, “Can I have the rest of the desert, please, Mitchell?” she bats her lashes. He laughs and blows her a kiss, “Go on then, enjoy.”

Ivan looks at Mitchell. He should not be surprised by his choice and yet he is. Truth is he had not intended to kill the prostitute either. He _is_ a man of his word and a part of him does regret this outcome. Not because of the loss of a human life - after almost two decades he is far beyond caring - but because of breaking his word.

“No!” he holds his hand up to Daisy. “Leave him.”

Daisy pouts, “But…” she hangs her head and straightens her new dress.

Mitchell raises his eyebrow and then chuckles. _Indeed a man of his word._ His cock twitches again at that. Because it means he might be able to bury it into Ivan’s fine backside after all.

“Come on Dais, you can have some more of mine if you want to,” he takes her by the hand and then has another thought, looking at Ivan. “Will you turn him?” 

Ivan kneels by the male prostitute, checking his pulse and his breathing. “He'll live,” he states, pulling the bloodied sheets up over him as if putting the man to bed like a child. He turns to Mitchell. “I promised not to kill him,” he says, indicating for him and Daisy to leave the room ahead of him. He turns and locks the door behind him, pocketing the key. “I said nothing about letting him leave.”

Mitchell raises his eyebrows but dares ask no more and does as Ivan motions. He holds Daisy’s hand while walking up the stairs as she sways behind him.

As soon as they’re back in the living room he turns to Ivan, “Thank you both for the fantastic meal.” His thoughts go back to when he arrived and he sighs, “I guess I better take my leave then since someone seems to miss my presence.”

“Hey! You promised me some of your blood,” Daisy protests and jumps at him, greedily sinking her fangs into Mitchell’s neck. He groans and closes his eyes, wrapping his arms tightly around her, his head thrown back as he enjoys her feeding from him.#

Daisy lets the blood gush into her mouth. So different from human blood, but still delicious with its unique flavour. Along with Elias’ life juice it gives her the feeling of flying.

Ivan straightens his cuffs. He grabs the bottle of wine they'd abandoned and pours himself the last glass. “You did promise,” he simply says.  Watching Daisy drink from Mitchell still stirs his interest. He walks up to the both of them and rubs Daisy's behind, at the same time pressing a slow kiss to Mitchell’s lips. “ _I_ always keep my word…” he says against those delightful lips.

Mitchell is completely surprised by Ivan kissing him now. It  makes him come back to his senses. Before Daisy jumped at him he thought he was dismissed for the night. He tries to catch the other’s tongue as he withdraws again. “Yes you do,” he murmurs against Ivan’s mouth, admiring those piercing eyes from up close. He slides his hand carefully onto the other man’s arse, pressing them together.

 Daisy feels the men’s arousal course through their veins with such power, that she detaches herself from Mitchell and slides over into the armchair.

“I enjoyed watching you do that,” Ivan says softly. “Fucking that guy. Did you like it?”

Mitchell feels like under Ivan’s spell when he talks in such an unusual voice to him, admitting something so very personal, “I … I liked you watching me,” he says, clearing his throat awkwardly. “I wanted it to be you.” He rubs his covered cock against the other vampire’s.

Ivan smiles at that. “I know.” He's brushes Mitchell's cheek, letting his hand run down that strong neck were Daisy's puncture wounds are already closing. “I will seek you out. And keep to my side of the bargain.” He pushes his tongue into Mitchell’s mouth, slowly playing with that agile muscle. When he releases Mitchell, he says regretfully, “Best not keep your maker waiting.”

Mitchell doesn’t know how to respond to that. He feels that Ivan means what he’s saying. But he also has the impression that something has changed as soon as they realised that Herrick is sniffing after them, “I’m glad,” he eventually murmurs. “Soon?” he can’t help but ask.

“Soon,” Ivan nods.

Mitchell nods curtly, not wanting to show how much Ivan’s answer delights him. He puts on his coat and his hat and disappears into the night.

+++

Herrick’s eyes follow Mitchell as he tries to slip back into their home undetected. Within a split second he is behind him, breathing against his neck. “Evening,” he says lowly.

 _Damn._ Mitchell has a hard time not to sigh exasperated. He stops without turning around, “Evening.”

“Where have you been?” Herrick doesn't beat around the bush. “And don't say you went to the districts to hunt as I know you headed towards Old Town.”

“So what?” Mitchell turns around and stares at the smaller man. “Am I not allowed to walk through the city anymore now? I brought something for the fledglings by the way, they’re already on it.” He’s glad to spit the word _fledgling_ into someone else's face after Ivan has so much fun teasing him with it.

“You didn't just _walk_ through the city,” Herrick states, keeping Mitchell cornered. “You…” he sniffs the other’s scent, “...fed. Hm, fucked. And…. Now this is interesting, roast pork and wine…” He smirks triumphantly at the other vampire.

Mitchell sighs, “Why the fuck are you spying on me? Am I not allowed to do things on my own? Am I your child or something?” he gets more and more frustrated now.

“As it happens yes,” Herrick grins, keeping his face close to Mitchell’s. “You see, I don't have a problem with you doing things on your own, although I wonder what I have done that you dismiss my company so easily these days,” he says with a thick theatrical overtone. “The problem is though, you're not on your own are you. Do you really think I'm that stupid, John Mitchell?” He smiles very sweetly but at the same time doesn't give Mitchell an inch of space.

Mitchell rolls his eyes as Herrick rubs it in again that he actually _is_ his child. “Alright, so I’m your child. But I’m _not_ your lover, so quit the jealous behaviour. I’ve spent thirty five years with you and Seth and still do. I think I have the right to get to know other people. Get to try out other ways of life.” He snaps his mouth shut to not reveal too much, while shrugging out of his coat.

“Hm,” Herrick smiles as he tries to put together some of the puzzle pieces Mitchell had given him as were it an _I spy_ game. “So, a lover… One you have not killed. A vampire then. Not from your own tribe. One who lives differently to us. In Old Town ....” he drags out the game to make Mitchell squirm a little longer. “I wonder what the Old One thinks of that, that you're screwing his wife...“ he says gleefully. When he sees the shock in Mitchell’s face he pulls an innocent pout, “Oops, did I say too much. Didn't she tell you that she's married?”

“Nope, and I don’t care,” Mitchell says nonchalantly. Two can play this game. He’s relieved though that Herrick didn’t find out more. It's not ideal that he knows about Daisy but it's a darn side better for him to think that she's cheating on Ivan than that the ancient vampire is a willing participant in their wicked games. “She’s a pretty good fuck,” he winks mischievously.

Herrick raises an eyebrow at that and then begins to laugh. The idea of Mitchell upsetting Ivan is rather amusing now and he pats Mitchell on his shoulder. “Good lad,” he grins, steering him into their nest. “And good to have you back.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and the kudos, dear readers! They are both much welcomed support!

Cold. He has never felt this cold in his life. He's shivering so much that it makes the bed frame vibrate against the stone wall. Everything aches. Like he's been trampled by a horse. Like a pain that goes right into his bones, dull in places and sharp like a knife wound in others. Like his neck.

_My neck…_

A flash of memory stabs painfully at his brain. In reflex his eyes spring open.

As his gaze is met by the grey eyes of the man who had brought him here he opens his mouth to scream, but no sound comes out.

“You're awake.”

Elias blinks as the vampire speaks to him in a calm controlled voice. Seeing him sit there, casually leaning back in the chair, nicely tailored suit, is such a stark contrast that he wonders if he had dreamed it all.

“You have not. Dreamt it.”

Elias chokes at that, desperately trying to find his voice. “Y-you can read my mind?” he whispers.

“Technically no. Rather I can guess at the predictable thought pattern of humans.”

Elias nods. “You didn't kill me.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Ivan raises his eyebrows at the odd question. “I promised I would not.”

“Y-yes. Just… At one point… I thought you would.”

“So did I.”

“But you didn't.”

“No.”

Elias sighs. “So what happens now? Will you let me go?”

“No.”

“I see.”

A silence stretches between them for a while, Elias staring at the wall, Ivan staring at the human in his cellar.

“So I am your prisoner?”

“Of sorts.”

“So what then, you won't outright kill but you'll leave me here to rot?” Elias says sharply, getting frustrated with the lack of response he's getting.

“That would be highly undesirable,” Ivan smirks. “Do you leave rotting food lying around in your house to attract vermin?”

Elias snorts. “Is that all I am then, food?”

“No. If you were we would have killed you.”

“What about the other guy?”

“He's not here.”

“Will he be back?”

“Why do you ask?”

 _Because I think I remember him stopping you from killing me, just before I passed out …_ He doesn't say anything though. Doesn't make eye contact again with the intimidating man. Vampire. He doesn't know what he's feeling right now, other than sore and very very tired.

He jolts when the other suddenly moves.

“I brought you some food. And water. You should eat.” Ivan pushes the table with cold meats, some dark bread and a jug of lemon water. “You lost a lot of blood.”

Elias laughs softly at that. “Because you took it from me.”

“Yes. And you'd agreed to that.” Ivan stays standing, looking the man up and down as he is half covered by clean sheets.

Elias follows his eyes and notices them too. “You changed the sheets…”

“They were dirty.”

“Why?”

“I like things tidy _.”_

Ivan looks away, staring at nothing for a while. Elias observes him quietly. He is tall, very very tall. Not exactly handsome and yet the way he holds himself he is attractive in an almost nobel kind of way. But most of all he looks human. Nothing like any of the stories he had heard about vampires - neither the frightening creature from Eastern folklore or the flawless count of Western tales. Just an ordinary man really. And that is more frightening than anything, Elias concludes.

“How did he feel?” the vampire asks eventually. “Inside of you. Did you like it?” 

Elias stares at Ivan in surprise. “It's…”

“A job? Something you have to do?”

Elias nods under Ivan's sharp gaze. He shrugs.

“After a while you become numb,” Ivan says softly, to himself more than the young man. “What was once either pleasure or agony, over time it all just becomes the same…”

The younger rent boy looks at the vampire in surprise. “Yes. I guess,” he says softly. “It was okay though. I mean he was…”

“Good,” Ivan states. He seats himself on the edge of the bed.

“What is it you want me to do?” Elias asks carefully.

“I don't know,” Ivan answers honestly. “I could feed from you. I could turn you. I could keep you in here and forget about you until you start to smell.” He moves to get up.

 _Keep him talking! You've got to keep him engaged or he will leave you to die!_ “Did you turn them?” _Did they start off like me?_

“Not him.”

“But the girl…”

“Yes.”

“What's your name?”

Ivan stares at the young man.

“What does it matter if you're not letting me go if I know your name or not?” Elias says a little irritably.

“Ivan.”

“Okay. Ivan. And hers?”

Ivan shifts his eyes in warning, leaning towards the other man. “You ask too many questions.” 

“Okay, okay, I'm sorry,” Elias backs away a little.

“Eat.” It's an order this time, not an offer, as Ivan gets to his feet. “I'll be back later.”

“Where are you going?!” Elias cannot prevent the panic that rings in his voice.

“That is none of your business,” Ivan states coolly before locking the door behind him.

++++

 _Soon. Soon, Ivan had said._ Mitchell wants to bang his head against the nearest wall. Soon isn’t almost three weeks later. Since the nice feast with the strange test in Ivan’s cellar Mitchell only met Daisy twice and she wouldn’t say anything about her husband. Even though the two of them had fed and fucked all night, Mitchell wasn’t satisfied. His mind and dick were aching for the tall, elegant vampire with the almost hypnotic voice.

_Why did he disappear? Maybe he didn’t like my performance with the human after all. Maybe the fact that I pulled him away from that kill still upsets him?_

  _Fuck, what am I? A crying girl. I don’t think so!_

Mitchell changes the sad serenade he had been playing into a quick step and scans the dance floor for an appropriate dinner. He wonders briefly if he should take a guy and practice fucking again but he really doesn’t feel inspired to do that with any other man.

++++

Ivan lights his cigarette and waves out the match. He takes a long slow drag, enjoying how the smoke fills his barely useful lungs. He leans back against the wall and closes his eyes, listening to the music inside, to the sounds of the saxophone that make him tremble.

It's cold tonight. Winter is hanging on the air and people don't stay out much, making the hunt more challenging.

He feels a little regretful that he had not spend as much time with Daisy and none with Mitchell, but sometimes he just needed some time to himself. Having gone from being on his own to suddenly with two demanding his attention at times stifled him. At least having Mitchell around pleased Daisy and he was happy for her to seek out his company even without him now.

Besides there was another matter that took his interest. The human in his cellar had recovered from his initial attack on him and he had spent much time with Elias. Sure, someone of his profession would not be able to educate Ivan in the fineries of society, but he did not care for that. His own circles gave him enough insight in that. No, it was precisely the other side of the coin, the life at the bottom of the ladder that intrigued him. The desperation. The immorality. The pointless struggle to achieve something that is so fleeting. The drive for survival even when it will always end with death sooner or later. It felt so pointless and yet so… alive. That passion, that drive for wanting to live so desperately for a few more decades felt grotesque compared to his own endless life. And yet _that_ appeared to be what made it all worthwhile. The imminent end.

He sighs at his own melancholy. It's the same every winter, when the time between kills extends with the length of the night. When the demons return to his haunted mind.

He takes another drag from his cigarette then stubs it out when the music inside fades away.

 ++++

Mitchell has decided on a pair of blonde twins. Maybe he’s going to meet Daisy at least and make her a little gift. He’s glad for her company. She’s fun to be, even if she only satisfies his body and does nothing for nourishing his hungry mind. But he has learned that one has to take what one gets. He has admitted to himself that he yearns for the company of Ivan but he surely is too proud to go and run after him. Besides with Herrick always watching his every step that is exceptionally difficult anyway. He already senses one of his watchdogs across the street.

 The young women, both very drunk and very giggly, stumble on their high heels when he leads them outside the club, murmuring meaningless niceties into their ears.

 +++

 Ivan observes Mitchell as he steps outside, a woman on each arm. Of course, always the charmer. Mitchell sure never struggles for attention.

 He stays in the shadows as Mitchell walks past him. He'd hoped to catch him on his own and although the smell of the girls is intoxicating he is in no mood for such games tonight.

+++

Mitchell’s head whips around as a very familiar, longed for scent enters his nostrils and he slows down, immediately wondering if Ivan is here because of him, feeling like a foolish teenager. He can’t make out any sign of Daisy at all, neither can he see the other vampire.

After a few uncertain moments he walks on. _If he wants me, he has to take action,_ he thinks, his mind overruling the desperate twitching in his trousers.

+++

Ivan follows behind, a little distance away. He knows Mitchell has sensed him already and it arouses him that the younger man is acting as if he hadn't. It's the game that they always seem to play; of who gives in first, of who controls who. And he is curious where Mitchell intends to take his prey.

He pulls down the brim of his hat a little and lights another smoke.

+++

Mitchell wonders if he still should find Dais, but since Ivan is alone there must be a reason for that so he decides against it.

After he’s walked through a few streets and cut a few corners, able to throw the fledgling watchdog off his scent, Ivan always only shortly behind, they arrive at the grave yard where they had met before.

The girls on his arm grow very quiet as he suddenly stops and he can smell their fear.

“Are you hungry?” he calls out into the night without turning around.

Ivan has stopped too and grins. He flicks the stub of his cigarette away and without answering Mitchell’s question he allows his true nature to emerge. The night shifts from its murky darkness into a wealth of colours in his dark vision and the two women glow like candles, pulsing with heat and life.

Mitchell laughs loudly, madly, as his invisible friend appears out of the shadows and the girls start to screech. “ **Dobrou chut!** ” he hisses as he twirls one of them towards him. He shuts up the other with a ravishing kiss, feeling her blood course through her veins like driven from a thunderstorm, her heart beating against his ribcage like drums.  

Ivan pounces on the girl who tries to fight her way out of Mitchell's grasp. This is different to how they've shared meals before, as part of their foreplay with Daisy. Ivan isn't interested in playing with this one and he's never interested in fucking them like Mitchell and Daisy are. He silently tears the woman's throat out and pulls her down, pinning her convulsing body down on the cold wet ground as he let's the hot blood flow into his hungry mouth.

Almost immediately his gloomy mood soars on a euphoric high, filling him with boundless energy.

Mitchell doesn’t feel like fucking the girls tonight either. He just rams his fangs into her neck and drinks his fill, draining her quickly to prevent his own starving.

As soon as he’s finished, feeling alive and vibrant, fresh blood warming his veins now, he looks challengingly at Ivan. His arousal had grown with each step he felt Ivan walk behind him, probably watching his rear. There are so many things he wants to say, to actually shout at the other. And yet he keeps silent trying to get his confusing feelings in order.

 “It has been a long time,” he snarls in the end, after laying the lifeless body of his dinner beside a gravestone.

Ivan raises his head from his meal and pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away some of the blood. He snorts. “It's been nineteen fucking days, Mitchell.” He pulls himself upright, towering over the younger vampire.

Mitchell keeps his mouth shut. _It certainly felt longer._ Yet again he feels foolish and confused but he won’t show that. In the past he’d thought they’d grown closer towards each other but tonight it felt like back to square one. He never met anyone who made him feel that unsure about himself.

“Daisy didn’t want to come tonight?” he asks just to say something, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Ivan looks away, wondering again what it is Mitchell wants. Clearly his interest still lies with Daisy and that's okay. But he doesn't want to put himself up vulnerably in front of the other man and be made to look like a fool. “I wanted to speak with you alone,” he says nonetheless, straightening his coat.

“Can I invite you for a beer?” Mitchell slowly starts to walk away from their feeding place wondering what Ivan has in mind. _Maybe he finally came to keep his end of our bargain?_ But Mitchell can’t really feel strong arousal within the other man. As he had said, it’s only been nineteen days and that is just a blip of time compared to the eternity they live in.

Ivan nods. “I'd like that.” He is not the beer drinking kind of guy but it doesn't really matter to him right now what beverage Mitchell is offering him.

He looks at the two women, contemplating what to do with them. He looks around the busy cemetery, the seemingly randomly stacked stones on top of one another. “Bury them,” he says coolly, reaching for his cigarettes again.

Mitchell had thought about that before but had gotten a little lazy and sloppy. He sighs but goes for the place where he’s hidden his shovel, burying them swiftly, using his inhuman speed to do so. He is really glad that Ivan accepted his invitation but he cannot help contemplating what Ivan might want. Even though he knows that as a ‘young’ vampire he has to do the burying, he’s really miffed that he has to do all the work himself. On the other hand he likes the feeling Ivan’s eyes on him during all his exercise.

Ivan observes Mitchell with interest. He disapproves that the youngster had to be reminded of the importance of tidying up after themselves, especially as he'd brought their kill onto his patch. But it amuses him to watch the other make up for his mistake now. “That will do,” he says after a while as Mitchell pats down the earth he'd moved. “Let's go.”

+++

“What do you want to talk about?” Mitchell says without any more beating around the bush when they arrive at his house, door firmly shut behind them. He’s aware of the fact that Ivan doesn’t like the traditional brand of pivo, but this is his home and he happens to like the czech beer. He tries to hold the upper hand as good as possible. He’s _not_ a fledgling after all.

“What did Herrick say to you?” Ivan says evenly as he takes a seat after moving some of the papers out of the way.

That question takes Mitchell by surprise as he puts two glasses of cool beer in front of them, knowing about Ivan’s love for style. “That he knows that I fuck your wife,” he says dryly, waiting for the other’s reaction.

Ivan jolts a little at that. “Does he now?” He holds Mitchell’s gaze, admiring his deep brown eyes. “What _else_ does he know?”

Mitchell likes the shock that briefly contours Ivan’s features, “Nothing,” he smirks, taking a large gulp of the slightly bitter brew, its taste enhanced by his recent feeding. “He likes the idea of me and her making out behind your back.”

Ivan huffs at that, but a  bemused smirk appears around his lips. “And you left him to believe that?”

“Of course,” Mitchell grins back.

Ivan grins too. He slowly sips his beer, considering this. “Did you not tell him about me because I asked you not to, or because you don't want to admit to your maker that you have had sex with me?” he says slowly.

"I didn't want to compromise you," Mitchell doesn't really know how to answer that question. He hadn't thought about that yet. "I know you don't want to get involved in politics. Plus he  doesn't need to know everything about me."

Ivan is content enough with that answer. “I've been thinking about you…”

Mitchell almost chokes on his beer. He hadn't dared to hope that Ivan would say something like that. He gets bold though, after his initial surprise. "Did you think about experimenting with me?" he raises one eyebrow, looking challenging at the other.

Ivan laughs softly at that. “You still want to fuck me,” he states plainly. “You liked that, did you, stuffing your dick in that boy's ass down in my cellar?”

“Actually,” Mitchell steps very close into Ivan’s space now, “Not really. For I wanted it to be _you.”_ He pokes his finger into the other’s chest, knowing he’s playing with fire. That the chances are fifty fifty of Ivan staying or leaving.

Ivan holds Mitchell’s gaze, once more impressed by Mitchell’s guts. He feels the throb between his legs as Mitchell proposes him so blatantly.

“I see. My problem though, Mitchell, is right at this moment you want something from me.  And I wonder what would happen if I answered your desires. It isn't good to give a child everything that they want. They become spoilt and unruly.”

Mitchell huffs into the other man’s face frustratedly, “And here I thought _I_ would do you a favour.” He grabs Ivan’s privates firmly but briefly, “You got very excited when I mentioned experiments.” He steps away. “I wouldn’t run away after,” he adds more softly, his voice unfamiliar even to his own ears. “I’ve grown too fond of you.”

“A favour?” Ivan sneers. “You have a very high opinion of yourself indeed, John Mitchell. Perhaps your fame has gone to your head… or your cock…” Ivan allows his eyes to caress that nice bulge. Still, the other’s admission that he had grown fond of him makes him feel very good indeed.

“Maybe,” Mitchell changes tactics, trying to get his own arousal back under control. “So you waited outside of the club for who knows how long, to then walk across the city with me _twice,_ only to ask me what Herrick said to me?” he sits down in one of the big armchairs, stretching his legs out in front of him, resting them on the table.

Ivan just stares at Mitchell, taking another sip from the cheap lager. “Let's fuck then,” he says, unblinking.

Mitchell is taken aback by Ivan’s behaviour, first reprimanding him, comparing him to a child and the next moment throwing this sentence at his feet. He gets up again and says under his breath, “Listen, Ivan, we don’t have to do anything.” Something has just fallen into place tonight. He needs Ivan’s company. Life has got boring without him. As much as he likes Daisy, there is just always something missing when her husband isn’t with them. And it now occurs to him that it isn’t only about the sex, it’s also, and maybe foremost, about the intellectual challenge he gives him.

“It’s … I, we can just talk…” _I missed you._ He doesn’t dare to say _that_ out loud, that is just too worrying.

Ivan pulls Mitchell onto his lap and into a hard bruising kiss. “I did not come here to talk,” he hisses. “Are you turning me down now?!”

Mitchell kisses him back just as harshly, without answering he plunges his tongue deep into Ivan’s mouth. After a few moments he breaks the lip lock, “Let’s fuck then,” he repeats Ivan’s words from earlier, fumbling with his trouser button, rubbing his palm against the older man’s erection.  

Ivan groans softly in appreciation. He may act all cool and uncaring, because that is just his style. But he knows that he has been dreaming about this moment for all of those nineteen days since they last parted.  

He seeks Mitchell’s mouth again, loving their battle of tongues. His hands are massaging Mitchell’s behind firmly whilst he bucks himself up against his lover's hand.

As Mitchell has freed Ivan’s cock, he swiftly gets up to step out of his shoes and trousers. He doesn’t think anymore as he straddles him again awkwardly in the chair, but manages to position himself just so that he can sink himself unceremoniously onto Ivan’s hard on. He does not dare to ask again if they can try it the other way round and he howls in pain. But after just a few moments of his superhuman body adjusting he groans into his mentor’s mouth, “Fuck, I’ve missed this.”

Ivan is surprised when Mitchell mounts him.He throws his head back against the chair, squeezing his eyes shut as his hard cock is welcomed so deliciously inside Mitchell’s arse. He's not going to argue with the youngster now that they find themselves in this position. Rather he rocks his hips to give Mitchell and himself that fabulous pleasure they've both longed for.

“So good,” it slips out. Mitchell actually doesn’t really want to admit to his weakness for this, being at the receiving end of Ivan’s gorgeous cock. He pushes himself down as Ivan moves up. He squeezes his muscles as he welcomes the other deep inside his body, pressing against that certain pleasure point within him. It’s like sparks go through every inch of his body, every cell, lighten it with the utmost pleasure he’s ever felt. He throws his head back too and lets his fangs drop.

“ **Yes** ,” Ivan's dark side agrees. He squeezes Mitchell’s thighs to bruising point, fucking up into that tight hole of his until he sees stars.

“ **Fuck, Ivan! YES!”** Mitchell tries desperately to hold back since he’s got other plans still. He bends forward and grazes his teeth against his lover’s mouth, piercing his lip, sucking on the blood there.

“Don't you dare… come,” Ivan pants, trying to keep himself as well as Mitchell under control. He wants to come himself though, and forces Mitchell’s hips down hard, slapping against his buttocks with his pelvis. With the fresh kill still fuelling his senses every brush against his cockhead is such a delight it makes him moan in pleasure.

“ **Mitchell …  mmmmm ooooh!** ” he howls when he erupts inside Mitchell.

Normally Mitchell would have come too at this point, sinking his fangs into Ivan’s throat. But not this time. He bites his own lip, squeezing the base of his cock to keep himself from climaxing. He enjoys Ivan coming inside of him. It’s always a sight to behold, to see the other vampire letting go. But tonight he wants to see that on a whole other level.

He slowly stands up, come gushing out of his hole. He moans at the feeling when it’s running down his thigh, his cock still hard and proud. He looks down at a disheveled Ivan and smirks, “Can I invite you into my bed to spoil you some more?” he says uncharacteristically flirtily.

“ **Yes …** ” It's all Ivan can say as he grabs Mitchell’s hand to help him up. He sways a little as the combination of his blood rush and the weakness of his climax turn his legs to jelly. He crashes his mouth haphazardly against Mitchell’s again, licking the blood that pearls on his lip.  

Mitchell kisses him back fiercely, trying to remove their remaining clothes while doing so. “You’re delicious,” he gasps when he lets his tongue travel across Ivan’s bare chest. Then he drags him upstairs.

Ivan lets himself fall onto Mitchell’s bed, wondering briefly if the other ever actually sleeps here. But he pushes the unnecessary question away as soon as Mitchell clambers on top of him. He manages to pull off his shirt, after already having disposed of his trousers halfway up the stairs, and he pulls a similarly naked Mitchell onto him. His hands roam the younger vampire's body greedily, nails scratching softly into his skin.

 _How I’ve waited for this_ , Mitchell thinks as he has Ivan spread out underneath him all for himself. He sucks his finger into his mouth, lots of saliva and blood slicking it up. Then he rubs it very tentatively across Ivan’s pucker. He’s completely shaking with nerves as he does so, just _knowing_ he’s the first who’s allowed to do this to the Old One.

Ivan is surprised by the noise that comes out of his own mouth when Mitchell touches him so intimately. He spreads himself a little wider, wanting it now, _needing_ Mitchell inside of him now. “ **Do it,”** he orders, rubbing himself up against Mitchell’s delicious hard cock against his thigh.

 _Not yet._ Mitchell shuffles down on the bed, positioning himself between the other’s legs. He stares at Ivan’s entrance. _A virgin,_ he's sure of that. He bends forward without any more thinking and just does what he feels might be very pleasurable. He swipes his tongue across that inviting rose.

Ivan mewls and whines like a hungry puppy when Mitchell does the most unexpected of things to him. Instinctively he pulls his legs up further and his head whips from side to side, his fangs pulsing. Gone is all of his well practised humanity, all of that forced control. Gone is every bit of his civilised manners. His demon rejoices as he's stimulated by Mitchell's wicked tongue.

“ **MORE!** ”

Mitchell’s dick grows painfully hard as he finds out that Ivan goes crazy from this particular action. He probes his tongue into his entrance, sucking and licking in turn, moistening his hole completely. He’s losing himself in this erotic play, listening to Ivan’s very primal noises, grabbing his thighs in a hard grip.

It's like nothing he's ever felt before. Almost on par with the ecstasy of human blood. His cock quickly grows against his stomach again and yet he feels like he's dry climaxing anyway on Mitchell’s wicked play. He does not know how to hold himself, what to do with that feeling. “ **John…”** he pleads. “ **I need you…** ”

“ **Yes,”** Mitchell can’t hold it much longer. He kneels up and positions his cock head against the well prepared entrance. Ever so slowly he pushes in staring at Ivan’s face as he does so.

Ivan gasps in an unnecessary reflex. The pain he feels as Mitchell breaches him is like nothing he had imagined, stabbing through his intestines and making his eyes water. He wants to push the younger man off instinctively, wants to expel this intrusion into his private space. The only thing that keeps him in place is his pride, although he wonders if even that is enough to accept this assault on his person.

_Mitchell accepted you, again and again. He begs for it even now. You've never hesitated to take another and yet you recoil now in the face of some discomfort? You've watched cities burn, Ivan Prochazka. You've watched the world lose its mind. You are a killer! Now will you man the hell up!_

He relaxes, somehow. When Mitchell stills his movement it allows his elder to accommodate the stretch and Ivan feels the pain dissipate.

Mitchell squeezes his eyes shut to not come there and then. This is so different to taking that prostitute. This is trust. This is Ivan laying bare his soul. He can feel Ivan’s struggle against the pain. He soothes him by stroking his thighs and yet his dick is so beautifully squished by those fighting muscles. He pulls out again a bit and then moves further inward. The delicious friction almost killing his determination to go slow.

“ **Ivan!”**

Now that he's set his mind to it it is a lot easier to relax around that hot cock inside of him. It's only then that Ivan realises just how he has positioned himself, opening himself to Mitchell like a beloved. But rather than fight it he embraces it now. He admires that younger man, reverently. And this is the best he'll ever be able to give Mitchell in return for his devotion. 

He lets his whole self relax, silencing his conflicted mind and his tensing muscles. And then the feeling shifts onto another plane altogether when Mitchell’s dick rubs over his prostate.

“ **Yes!** ”

He claws at Mitchell's back, trying to get him to rub him like that again, desperately.

Mitchell feels the flutter inside of Ivan against his cock and knows he has hit the right spot. He tries to move in the same way again. But he has to go faster now, to earnestly start to fuck into that hot hole. His body moves of its own accord, wanting, needing release. His eyes shift and he bares his fangs at Ivan, rutting into him brutally now.

“ **Drink from me,** ” Ivan bares his throat at Mitchell, pulling him flush against him. The movement inside of him is an odd combination of wanting Mitchell to be done already and not getting enough of him all the same.

These words are always enough to get Mitchell that one notch closer to his orgasm. He groans and bends forward, not needing the invitation twice. He licks the artery in Ivan’s neck and then rams his fangs into the vulnerable skin as he pushes his cock into that hot, hard gripping channel one last time. He comes as soon as Ivan’s ancient blood hits his taste buds and he sucks greedily as he empties himself into Ivan.

The moan that rumbles through Ivan's body is a deep guttural one. Pain and pleasure are hitting him in equal measure to the point where he can no longer tell one from the other and they are equally desirable. He can feel Mitchell reach his peak, moaning against his neck also as he sucks up his blood.

He wraps his strong long arms around Mitchell, holding him against him as his younger counterpart drinks from him. And for a brief moment he feels something that he has not felt for what feels like over a thousand years. Peace.

Mitchell reluctantly stops drinking, lapping up every last drop around the swiftly closing wound, “ **Delicious.”** And he doesn’t only mean the special blood, but the whole act they’ve just experienced together. Ivan’s arms around him make him feel protected. A feeling he never knew. He rests his head against his strong lover’s chest as his cock slips out of him. He curls his fingers around Ivan’s biceps and holds onto him, shaking from the wild ride. Then he grows very still.

Ivan sighs, because the feeling of that is so relaxing. There are so many sensations racing through him, so many feelings he cannot interpret

 “I love….d that,” he whispers softly, closing his eyes.

Mitchell’s eyes had snapped open at the _I love._ But he closes them again, nodding against Ivan’s scratchy chest hair. He lets his hand slide over his arm and onto his shoulder, taking all in again, marvelling in the mellow moment. “I love _you_ ,” he murmurs, letting it slip out, not even sure if vampires are supposed to say that. But he’s content with it for now, not sparing a thought about what might happen later.

Ivan grows very still at Mitchell’s declaration.  He has no idea how to respond to that. No-one has ever declared their love for him since he left his mortality. Not even Daisy. He can believe she loves him in her own way, as he loves her in his. She is his partner in crime and his sanity. A soulmate. Daisy knows more about his demons than anyone else. And yet even she knows very little.

He had not thought he would find another in the space of but a decade who would make him open his soul like that. Who he would trust and who interests him like this.

But love…

He remains silent, just stroking Mitchell’s back.

Mitchell isn’t expecting that Ivan declares his love right back to him. He’s married after all. He can’t actually believe he just said that out loud, admitting his weakness for the man like that. He’s never wanted to lie like this with anyone before. Being held, stroked. He had thought that’s something only humans share and yet he wants to stay like this for as long as possible. Ivan holding him, his hands soothing. He leans up a little and kisses him softly. 

Ivan accepts the kiss but doesn't answer in kind. He does not want to break the spell,  feeling comfortable in the moment. But he knows he cares too much for Mitchell and has too much respect for him to let him believe that he ever will satisfy _that_ need.

“I admire you,” he says softly. “I feel comfortable with you and I very enjoy our time together.” He opens his eyes, looking at Mitchell.

Mitchell nods once more, Ivan’s eyes sparkling in the dim light. He’s grateful for the praise, “Me too,” he answers the last statement. “Thank you for keeping your word,” and he goes back to laying down again, “I very much enjoyed spoiling you…” He absorbs the closeness, the warmth their freshly fed bodies radiate, the trust. For the first time in who knows how long he feels like he could fall asleep.

“I always keep my word, John. I may be many horrific things but I'm also honest to a fault.” _That's why I  cannot repeat those words back to you._ “Let us sleep a while,” he eventually says softly, drinking in Mitchell’s smell of blood and sex.   

“Sleep? I never sleep but yet I feel like I could now,” Mitchell says drowsily, feeling himself drift. “You?” he can’t get enough of Ivan murmuring into his ear.

“Sleeping is like eating,” Ivan smiles. “You have to relearn it. Your mind does not require it and yet you will find it brings you some welcome rest when you do. Just allow your mind to go quiet. And eventually it will come as naturally as it once did.”  He pulls the blanket over the both of them and then pulls Mitchell back into his arms, feeling a sense of contentment settle in his empty chest. 

“Hm…” Mitchell is very eager to try and learn that particular new lesson since it means staying in Ivan’s arms a while longer. He snuggles into his side, one leg and one arm possessively thrown across Ivan’s body and allows himself to drift off. The many thoughts that are on the edge of his consciousness can wait for tomorrow. Who knows when he’ll ever feel this safe again.

++++

“Where is Ivan?”

The elderly woman does not meet his eye as she puts down a plate of food and a bottle of beer for him.

“Are you his prisoner as well?”

At that the woman briefly jolts but then briskly shakes her head. “No.”

Elias grabs her arm and she scowls at him from under her white eyebrows. “You know what he is though, don't you?” he presses.

“Yes.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Because Mister Prochazka asked me to.” She yanks her arm free.

“Are you afraid of him?”

No answer.

“Does he pay you?”

More silence.

Elias sighs and eyes the door. “I could kill you,” he states. “Knock you out. Take the keys and get away from here.”

“You won't.”

Elias raises his eyebrows at that. “How do you know?”

“Mister Prochazka told me you won't,” she rasps, scuttling towards the corner to pick up the chamber pot to empty in her bucket. “And if you do, he will find you and he will kill you,” she mutters.

Elias nods, of that he has little doubt. “So what do you expect me to do, sit here and wait for him to kill me anyway?”

The old woman stops and stares at him with her cold dark eyes. “I do not expect you to do anything.” She turns his back on him and makes for the door.

“Will he be back later?” Elias calls after her.

But she has already slipped through the door and turned the lock again, leaving him alone once more.

Elias sighs and leans back against the comfortable pillows. He grabs for the book that Ivan had brought him and turns back to the page he had been reading before the old woman came in, hoping silently that Ivan will return soon.


	6. Chapter 6

“You look distracted.”

Ivan does not look up as the human addresses him. He turns the page of his book but his eyes are not really focused on the page.

“You're thinking about him.”

Ivan knows he's reacted even if it's only slightly and he can feel the grin of the mortal man on him.   

Elias pushes himself up a little more. He crosses his legs beneath him and just watches Ivan quietly. The vampire has visited him at the same time every other day since he had been brought here. He has lost track of time but he guesses it must be December already. Ivan never says much, although he asks lots of questions of him, listening with keen interest to the answers. Questions that range from the mundane to the bizarre. About his work. About his life. About whether he thinks there is a god. Whether he has any family. What his favourite food is and his taste in music. If he has a lover…

Over the weeks Elias had actually started to look forward to those one-sided conversations. Being kept prisoner here by the monstrous man had become the norm and Elias had to admit that whilst he missed the fresh air and the freedom to walk around and do what he wants, equally here he was provided with things he would otherwise remain forever out of his reach. Fresh food of the highest quality. Beer or wine at his choosing. But also, books. A record player to listen to music with to pass the time. A welcome fire in the hearth to keep out the winter cold. No more selling his wares in cheap bars and dirty alleyways, always looking over his shoulder for his pimp or the police. Really, he could not complain that much. Not whilst the vampire did not seem interested in killing him … Yet.

He had tried to ask Ivan questions in return. About why he was keeping him here. Why he didn't just kill him. About the woman and the younger vampire, neither of whom he'd seen since that first night. About what it was like being a vampire. But Ivan always circumvented those questions somehow, never providing a straight answer to any of them.

Yet he feels he had gotten to know little bits about him, even through the silence and short answers he has been given. He knows Ivan is curious about the mechanics of the modern world. About the unspoken rules of society. Elias has gotten a sense that this man - and probably his kind at large - lives on the peripheral of humanity, or even in a different dimension to his own. Mingling with humankind but never part of it. And that all of Ivan's questions are simply a connection to a world that he no longer understands but still had to be part of. Like a biologist studying another species, wanting to understand its strange ways but never fully able to.

There was something else still. Something deeper, that had nothing to do with etiquette or human politics or religious views. Something inherently human though. And it were those questions about how he _feels_ about things that Elias found most curious. Which reminded him most that despite this man's well dressed and well-spoken apparently human exterior, inside he really was not. At least not anymore.

“You love him,” he throws at Ivan when the other man has remained still for so long that he appears to be asleep.

At that Ivan's eyes snap to his own.

“Do not be absurd,” Ivan says coolly.

“All your questions… Are you afraid to admit it?”

“I have a wife.”

“Yes and you love her too. Very much. But this is different.”

Ivan moves his eyes to the wall; his only visual response to that accusation.

“I wonder what it is that bothers you most,” Elias pushes his luck. It hardly matters. He's stuck here anyway, at the vampire’s mercy. If Ivan wants to kill him, then he will. “The fact that you are screwing him behind your wife's back. The fact that he's a guy. Or just simply the fact that you've fallen head over heels for that pretty face of his…”

He laughs when Ivan jumps at him within a flash, pinning him down on the bed. His eyes have disappeared into that infinite darkness now and Elias can see the sharp of his fangs right above him.

“ **What do you know about love?!** ” Ivan hisses. “ **What do you know about loss!** ”

They stare at each other, Ivan's face mere inches from Elias’, each searching the other’s soul.

“Fuck me then,” Elias eventually breathes huskily as he feels Ivan's needy erection press against him.

He can see the brief hesitation as Ivan's eyes shift back to normal. In all the weeks he had been kept prisoner here the vampire had never touched him; neither for sex or for his blood.

“I might kill you…” Ivan says as he keeps his position on top of the mortal man.

Elias holds his gaze, when he answers daringly, “That's a risk I'm willing to take.”

+++ 

_Who did Ivan have before Daisy?_

_What happened?_

_Did he have a wife in his mortal life?_

_Did he love her?_

Mitchell’s thoughts are all about Ivan these days. Since he’d fucked him and they had fallen asleep so peacefully afterwards, they hadn't had a chance to repeat that particular encounter. Either Mitchell had to go hunting with Herrick to keep up the appearance, or Daisy and one or two humans had been with them.

Never Elias though. Mitchell had wondered what happened to him but he had not wanted to ask Ivan. It isn’t anything of his business after all.

When they play their bloody threesome games Mitchell never feels as close to Ivan as he did in their special night and he asks himself if he just should take it as a one off - never spoken about again - or if he might hope to experience this strange feeling of _being loved_ ever again. One part of him thinks he doesn’t have the right to feel that, but this other part longs for it. For the peace and the calm, the closeness to a person, who seems to understand him truly.

He stares out into the night from his lonely bedroom, dragging at his cigarette. The full moon is shining way too bright from the cloudless sky. He hears a werewolf howling in the distance and wonders when Herrick will bang on his door and demand his presence at the nightly wolf hunting activities.  

“Fuck.” Almost as soon as he thinks this his keen ears hear something at the door. Not Herrick’s forceful loud banging though, but an unfamiliar scraping sound like someone isn’t sure whether to knock or not.

He rushes down the stairs barefoot, soundless, and rips open his front door to see what is outside; if it’s one of the fledglings finding out about his personal space he will to tear them apart!

Ivan is startled to find Mitchell ready to attack him as soon as the door is yanked open. But he quickly pulls himself together as he taps his hat. “Get your coat,” he orders Mitchell in his usual calm but unquestionable manner.

Mitchell is just as startled as he finds Ivan at his front door. He hadn’t expected him tonight. But when Ivan issues his request he jumps up the stairs like a teenager to get his packet of cigarettes and his shoes. A wide grin spreads on his face as he puts on his winter coat and his hat, throwing a scarf around his neck for effect.

As soon as he’s at Ivan’s side again the grin has disappeared; he doesn’t want to seem too needy. His curiosity is rising though, “Where are we going?”

“The theatre,” Ivan smiles. “I'm bored. Then afterwards we can have a meal somewhere.” He bends himself closer to Mitchell, adding in a low voice, “Now that you've learnt to eat human food again.”

Mitchell chuckles, surprised that Daisy isn’t with Ivan. He wonders briefly if it is okay for two men to got to the theatre together. His whole being is on fire suddenly at the prospect of spending the night with Ivan. _I’m not a damn girl!_ he thinks as his stomach does some kind of somersault. He pulls his hat further down, resisting the urge to kiss Ivan openly on the street, even though no one is around.

Ivan smiles to himself as he feels and smells Mitchell's unhidden arousal next to him. He closes his eyes briefly to draw in that sensation, letting it swirl around his brain like a drug. He digs his hands into his deep coat pockets as they walk silently along the pavement. It's quieter tonight than usual. There is a palpable tension in the air. Black cars churn up the sludgy snow on the roads. Things have begun to change and Ivan doesn't like it. He's happy to play the game of humanity whilst it suits him and usually political unrest works in his favour; it makes the killing so much easier when humankind is done pretending to be civilised. But he cannot afford for human politics to risk his alibi. The Party is under Stalin's scrutiny now and with General Secretary Slánský’s arrest last month there has been far too much digging into his own private affairs for his liking. He knows that time is running out for him in his beloved city. Normally he does not mind to uproot himself. He is used to this semi-nomadic life; after all, they cannot stay in the same place for more than a decade or two of not aging without rousing suspicion.

But now there is something else that is keeping him here.

He thinks about the human. About what he had said about Mitchell. _You love him_. He cannot get that out of his head. For over three quarters of a century he had been able to convince himself that such an emotion was just a remnant of his once human self. And he was too old now, his humanity purely a facade. Each decade had taken him a step further away from the man he was before. That man was buried now, not in the ground, but inside this shell that he still carries around. And each decade it takes him more conscious effort to hold up the pretence. His dark side growing ever stronger, killing off his once human feelings to make space for a more primal instinct. It takes constant concentration to keep his inner demon at bay. And a lifetime of studying that which was once came as naturally as the beating of his heart once did.

Loneliness does strange things to people and vampires alike.

It was Daisy first who gave him a lifeline back into that world. Whilst she is a perfect child of the night, he can still smell her humanity only a decade after she ran away with him. He loves her psychopathic nature. It has made her transition so much easier than it is for some. But there is more to it.

_You love her too. Very much._

He had always rejected that notion. Daisy is his companion. His distraction. But love… No, he will not open that old wound again. Love means being vulnerable, weak. And he is not that. 

He takes a slow breath simply because he finds the motion soothing as he tries to work out his emotions about this curious situation. Perhaps this sign of the times is for the best, he concludes.

 “We must be careful,” Mitchell mutters, “When Herrick doesn’t find me at his nest tonight he might comb the whole city.” He tries to light a cigarette in the frosty air, “I’ve never missed a wolf hunt.” He contemplates this, wondering why he doesn’t care about it at the moment. It’s as if he’s grown out of the child games, as if he wants more from his strange, unending life now. He looks sideways at the man he desires.

Ivan pulls himself out of his musings and smirks. “Bloodsports? How delightfully decadent. We can do that if you'd rather…”

Mitchell snorts, “That’s not why I want your company, Mr Prochazka.” He boldly links his arm with Ivan’s as they’re near the theatre. He’s seen other men walking just like that.

Ivan is surprised by the gesture but he allows it, briefly patting Mitchell’s arm with his gloved hand. He hopes the younger man will appreciate this treat. He wants tonight to be one that Mitchell will cherish.  

+++

Mitchell still can’t believe he just had the most amazing evening. When they had entered the theatre he wasn’t sure if he’d like to watch an opera. But he had been swept away by the dark music and by the drama. Sitting beside Ivan, feeling his proximity and his growing arousal made him forget all the differently smelling humans that were stuck with them in one place. And while he had been staring at the stage, enjoying the performances of the singers and the musicians in the orchestra pit, he remained aware of every move, every gesture Ivan made beside him.

“I hope you enjoyed that,” Ivan smiles as they collect their coats and hats from the cloakroom. He knows he has. Daisy does not like to go to the opera with him - she's far too young and restless for that. And whilst he is not sure if Mitchell does not subscribe to the same flaw, he hopes that the man's love for music at least had captured his interest. He at least appeared to enjoy himself.

“Yes, very much so,” Mitchell grins as he puts his hat on, still humming the last tunes. “It has been a unique experience. Thank you for the invitation.” While he studied to learn how to play his saxophone he’d listened to lots of modern music on his record player. He never felt the desire to put an opera on though. But hearing and seeing this played live was an experience on a whole different level. 

Ivan nods in appreciation. He takes a moment longer to let his eyes roam over Mitchell, but then pulls himself together. “Would you prefer an aperitif or dessert?” he asks as they join the mass of humans spilling out of the theatre.

Mitchell is well aware of the lingering glance that Ivan gives him. It makes him shiver in anticipation. “Dessert,” he grins, letting his tongue slide across his lower lip briefly. 

“Very well. Then let me take you to the Mlýnec for a meal first. And we can talk.”

Mitchell bows a little, not sure how to react, being the one to be taken on a date. _Is this a date?_ He feels completely out of his depths with Ivan. _Where is this leading to?_ He feels that his life is changing. That he’s not living the life of an animal anymore but that he’s finally discovering something that could be a life again. _Is it possible that Ivan loves the both of us? Daisy as well as me?_ Mitchell shakes his head slightly to get rid of these thoughts and just enjoy the evening as it is. “Are we going to walk or do you want to take a taxi?” he asks, just to say something amongst all those people.

“It's not that far,” Ivan says as he begins you walk along the river bank. Besides he does not like the enclosed space of a taxi, when they can enjoy the beauty of night-time Prague with all their senses. He wants to imprint them into his memory, adding them to the scrapbook of his life.

“Daisy says hello,” he smiles at Mitchell.

“Thank you,” Mitchell smiles back. “She… You preferred to come alone?” he says boldly, locking his gaze with Ivan’s as he appreciates the steady swooshing of the Donau beside them. All thoughts of Herrick and the wolf hunt are buried deep beneath those flutters of _what? Desire? Arousal?_ No that’s not really it; It’s part of it but there is something else. Something that hasn’t got anything to do with sex or mating. It’s stimulation for his brain. It actually warms him from the inside.

“She's…  occupied,” Ivan says. He stops abruptly, quickly scanning the empty streets, before he grabs Mitchell's face between his hands and presses a kiss on his lips. “She gives you this.”

Mitchell grabs Ivan's face right back, not letting him go as he wants to draw back. "Give her this from me then," he pants into Ivan's mouth and kisses him deeply. He's been wanting to do that since hours.

Ivan closes his eyes to enjoy the deep kiss for a moment. _You love him…_ He swallows as he pulls back, whispering huskily, “I will.” He continues their pace, for if they stop now he'll never get going again.

 _Does she approve of us like this?_ Mitchell wants to ask but he doesn’t want to ruin the peaceful moment so he keeps his mouth shut. He almost expects her to jump at them from somewhere. But he gets the impression Ivan really wants this to be an evening only for the two of them. He seizes the opportunity and asks straight forward, “In your mortal life, were you married?”

Ivan stops so abruptly that Mitchell bumps him. He looks at the younger man curiously. “Yes.” He cocks his head. They'd never spoken about their mortal lives before. “Were you?”

Mitchell shakes his head. “The war got in the way.” He says quietly, walking on, “Never got the chance to find the right woman…” It feels very strange to talk about what was _before._

Ivan lets his gaze grow distant. “Have you ever loved someone, John?” he asks without thinking. A flash of Mitchell’s words comes to him as soon as he asks the question. Of the younger man blurting out that he loves _him_. But surely that was just drunken talk, in the aftermath of blood and sex.  

Mitchell shakes his head, "I have not." Then he looks Ivan straight into his hypnotizing eyes, "But I think I'm getting there..." he trails off.

Ivan feels that flutter inside his chest again. Almost as if his dead heart is trying to give it one last shot, but he knows that's just his imagination. “Come,” he swallows. “Let's eat. And then I'll answer some of those unasked questions I know you have about me.”

“I’d like that,” Mitchell says huskily, clearing his throat, feeling that their kind of playful relationship grows into something deeper. He’s unsure how to behave right now. All his fierceness and coolness is melting when he’s with Ivan and he isn’t sure if he really feels comfortable with that or not. His hard shell crumbles.  

He opens the door for his companion when they arrive at the kind of upper class restaurant. It looks completely different to what regular citizens get these days. Fresh flowers and baskets with exotic fruits he’s never seen before decorate the tables. The very stylish dressed guests eat from expensive porcelain and with silver cutlery. Mitchell scans the place with his keen eyes within seconds, wondering if they have a reservation.

“Mr Prochazka,” the host smiles brightly at the two tall men. “Please follow me.”

Ivan nods to Mitchell to walk ahead of him as they are led to his usual table, a little towards the back where there is a bit more privacy.

“My invitation,” he reminds his companion as Mitchell looks at the price list with apprehension as soon as they are seated.  

“Thank you Mr Prochazka,” Mitchell tries the joking route since he so clearly feels out of his depth. Not in the environment; he’d been to rich places with Herrick a lot after WW I, but emotion wise. He’s shocked about himself, about all the tender gestures he wants to spoil Ivan with. But he keeps his hands closely to himself out here in the open.  

He’s glad they’re sitting in a private corner. He’s had enough of the variety of obscenely smelling human perfumes for one night. Mitchell lets his eyes slide across Ivan’s perfect tailored suit when he sits down.

“Well, this is different,” Ivan smirks. “It feels rather mundane to be having such a civilised evening together after how we started out.”

Mitchell chuckles at that, “It feels like we’re moving in reverse.” He leans in closer, “Sex before dating.” He reaches for the menu again and scans the drinks, smirking.

Ivan clicks his fingers and orders a bottle of aged red. “The food here is exquisite,” he smiles. “Please don't be modest. Order whatever takes your fancy.”

Mitchell ignores the prizes and reads through the meals. He only knows half of what’s written on there. And only half of that he’s tried during the last weeks. He shakes his head a little, “What are you having?” He looks up at Ivan from under his lashes, “You seem to come here often. I’m sure you have a favourite dish.” He licks his lips seductively, “I’m willing to try that…”

Ivan groans softly at Mitchell's flirting. His dark side hisses at his insistence on this pretentious civility but he ignores it for now. “Then I insist you try the veal,” he says as he puts down the menu. He knows that they are being outrageous, eating such food and drinking such wine when the world around them is starving, but what does he care for that. In any case this is exactly what it is, showing off in front of the man who interests him so. He wants to impress. Wants to spoil Mitchell for one last time.

“Alright, sounds good to my newly awoken taste buds,” Mitchell smiles at Ivan, raising his glass after the waiter disappeared again. “To us!” He says boldly but in a very low voice, his eyes shifting for only Ivan to see. “And a most amazing evening so far.”

Ivan smiles contently at that, clinking his crystal glass against Mitchell’s so it rings its clear tone. “To us. Children of the night,” he mocks playfully. “And to an amazing night still to come,” he winks.

Mitchell sips the super expensive wine slowly, appreciating it, locking his gaze with Ivan’s. “You think I have unasked questions about you,” he says just as playful. “What would they be then?” He lifts his chin in a challenging gesture. Waiting of the answers to his unasked questions in anticipation, very eager to learn more about the man who has him under his vampiric spell.

“You want to know who was there before Daisy,” Ivan looks deep into Mitchell's eyes.

Mitchell swallows and nods, “Yes.” He studies Ivan’s handsome features, trying to figure out if the older man is really willing to talk about that or not. 

“You asked me about my maker,” Ivan begins, lowering his voice so only Mitchell can hear, “not long after we first met. I didn't tell you the whole truth. She…” he takes a slow breath, just to gather his thoughts a moment, “she was not just a girl I took to bed. I had known her for some time. She came to Prague every summer with her travelling tribe for five consecutive years. The first time I saw her I was mesmerised.

“My wife and I, our marriage was strained. She had not been able to conceive a child with me despite being several years younger and it put considerable shame and pressure on her. In the end we stopped trying…

“I was not faithful,” Ivan admits to as he takes a sip of his wine. “I sought to satisfy my needs elsewhere. And then I met her, the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on - Karolina. She was like this wild creature. Unbound by place or time it seemed. Of course it was only later that I realised the truth behind that.

“Our affair was explosive. And for three years she managed to restrain herself from revealing her true nature to me. I never suspected a thing.”

Mitchell takes it all in, reminding himself how long ago all of that happened. He feels very moved that Ivan is trusting him with his most private thoughts. But there’s also a strange nagging feeling within him he doesn’t like as Ivan speaks very fondly of that woman - Karolina. “That’s a long time of restraint,” Mitchell says huskily, refilling their glasses. “What happened next?”

“She told me about her people the fourth year we met up. On the last night we shared a bed she showed me her true self.” He shifts his gaze briefly like Mitchell had done just earlier. “She offered me a choice. That if I wanted to I could join her and her tribe.”

Ivan stops talking when the waiter comes to take their order.

Then he leans himself a little forward again. “Those days things were very different, John. The world was a very different place.”

“I know,” Mitchell nods. “I guess you said yes?” he then asks quietly, briefly stroking his fingertip over the back of Ivan’s hand.

Ivan’s eyes follow Mitchell's gesture. “Not straight away. I had a year to think about it.” he cocks his head at Mitchell. “What would you have done, if you had had the choice? To leave behind the world as you know it. If you had been given time to think about selling your soul to the Devil?” he asks the younger man straight out.

“I was gonna say that your way of being turned seemed better than mine,” Mitchell sighs, “But when you put it that way, it must have been a tough choice.” He contemplates. “I’m not sure what I would have done. You must have loved her very much…”

“I did,” Ivan nods. “But it was also curiosity. My mortal life… it was boring me. The same old shit day in day out. She offered me immortality,” he whispers. “And the world to explore! I'd never been outside of the Empire. As for the dark side …” he snorts. “I wasn't a nice human man, Mitchell. And I was never friends with God.”

He leans back again, letting his words sink in for a while.

Mitchell wonders what it would have been like to have a female maker and have been in love with her. He’s very eager to hear the end of the tale, knowing that Ivan said before that his maker is dead. “How long did you stay with her?” he asks hesitantly, not wanting to actually ask if Ivan was there when she met her final death.

The deliciously smelling food is plated up for them and Ivan spreads the napkin across his lap. “Bon appetite,” he smiles to his companion, taking his time to cut some of the soft meat and chewing it slowly before he continues his story.

Mitchell’s nostrils flare at the wonderful smell of the nicely decorated meal. Along with the veal they serve potatoes and young green beans. He loves to observe Ivan when he eats like a gourmet, enjoying each bite. Mitchell mirrors him, concentrating on the new taste, wanting to perfect his eating skills now that his stomach isn’t revolting against it anymore. This may prove very useful in the future.

“Did you two have a vampire child?”  

Ivan raises his eyebrows at Mitchell’s question. “Rules in our tribe were strict. _Nothing_ like Herrick and his pathetic ways,” he spits. “Tribes in the true sense of the word, rather than a haphazard gathering of fledglings. They were an ancient family; their line went back centuries. Newcomers were vetted by the elders. I had been too, I learnt later on.

“We moved constantly. Each member played a role, each knew they could depend on the others. I had never known a bond like that before.

“Fifty-eight years I lived with them. They were closer than my real family had ever been. Blood brothers and sisters in its truest sense. They taught me everything I needed to know about our kind. They were a proud people, Mitchell. They considered us an evolution, a superior race to humankind.” He looks closely at Mitchell, smiling sadly. “Humans demonise us because we are a threat to them. But nature is founded on the very principles of evolution and survival of the fittest. Humanity has been the single most destructive force upon this planet. To itself. Seventeen million people died in the First World War and sixty million in the second. How do you think that compares to the numbers killed by our people?!” he whispers heatedly. “And yet _we_ are the ones hunted down like animals!” He has a hard time not to slam his cutlery down and he can feel his fangs tingle against his gums.

Mitchell feels Ivan's anger rise while he speaks his last words. He didn't know all these numbers, was never interested in any of that and of course Ivan is right. He lies his hand soothingly on the other's arm. His dark side very close to the surface too. After a moment of calming down he says, " Thank you for telling me about the ways of your tribe. You said she is no longer alive ... Were you still together when she…?”

Ivan drops his knife and fork down and grabs Mitchell’s hand in reflex. “She was the love of my life!” he gives voice to his century long heartache. “ _They_ took everything from me. My wife. My home. My family. Annihilated!

“I knew no-one else of my kind. But what I did know is that I could not just walk up to another tribe and ask to join them. Do you know what it feels like to be truly alone in the world, Mitchell?”

“No, I have not been truly alone,” Mitchell admits. He realises now that although Herrick could be an arsehole at times he had at least provided for him all these years, teaching him how to survive, how to flourish even. “How did you survive?” he asks curiously.

“I was not there,” Ivan says, his eyes glazing slightly. “Fate is a cruel friend, Mitchell. “There were no heroics, only guilt. I was away that night and when I returned I found our nest burnt to the ground.” He fumbles in his pocket pulling out a small locket, that he shows Mitchell. “This was all that remained of her as I searched through the rubble and the ashes of my home.”

"I'm sorry," Mitchell whispers.

“Why are you sorry?” Ivan holds on to Mitchell’s wrist still. “I promised I would answer your questions.” He puts the locket in his pocket again and picks his cutlery backup, continuing their meal as if he'd said nothing, burying his emotions once more. “Is it nice?” he nods to the meat.

Mitchell is moved by all the news and the flash of Ivan's turmoil he was feeling with him, sitting so close. He leans back for a moment, closing his eyes. He tries to eat some more himself. "I didn't want to ruin our nice evening..."  

Ivan snorts. “It ruins nothing now. It was a long time ago.” He smiles a genuine smile at his dinner partner. “Since, I've found others. I've found my Daisy.” He holds Mitchell’s gaze for a moment as he sips his wine.

“If you ask me,” Mitchell clears his throat, “you’ve found me too,” he says awkwardly. “I’m just not sure what you say about that …” 

Ivan hovers his fork above the piece of potato he had been about to skewer. He slowly raises his eyes. “Yes,” he smiles softly. “I've enjoyed our times together. You are… very special, John Mitchell.” He puts the potato in his mouth and chews slowly.

“Thank you. And so are you. You’ve taught me a lot since we met.” _Inside the bedroom and outside._ Mitchell raises his glass again and empties it. “I wonder what tonight’s lesson will be,” he winks at his lover, trying to get back into a lighter mood, both his arousal and thirst for blood growing now, “Apart from opera.”

“I think we're finished with lessons,” Ivan grins. “You've been an exemplary student. Tonight,” he bends himself a little forward again, “is just about indulgence.”

Mitchell’s whole body starts to tingle at both the praise and the phrase, “Alright my extraordinary teacher, I know some things about indulgence…” he lets Ivan see both his fangs and his dark eyes briefly, stroking his calve with his foot beneath the table.

“I think I'm ready for dessert…” Ivan wipes his mouth with his napkin. He feels all his senses sharpen at Mitchell's surreptitious touches and teases.

“Definitely,” he watches Ivan as he calls over the waiter and pays the bill. He never had this feeling with anyone before, that he has the need to study his every gesture, that he can’t have enough of the man. He’s glad he has his long coat to hide his excitement beneath that clearly grows when he thinks about indulging with Ivan in his bed. The night is still young and  things may go either way. He grins at that very thought.

+++

Ivan pushes Mitchell up against the wall as soon as the door falls shut behind them. He pries open his mouth, licking the delicious blood from his fangs. The waiter had been most accommodating, but their brutal dessert had been swift; both aching to get their hands on each other.

Mitchell rips Ivan’s suit jacket off and fumbles with their belts while he bites back at his tongue, sucking the human blood off it. After he loosened his lover’s trousers he slides his hand inside his briefs and grabs Ivan’s hard cock firmly, groaning wantonly. His own cock head rubbing painfully against its confines.

“Take me to your bed,” Ivan begs huskily, grabbing the back of Mitchell's head, digging his fingers into those playful curls. His fangs are already scraping his lips, his arousal fuelled by their kill.

Mitchell doesn’t need telling twice. With his hand still in Ivan’s trousers he marches him backwards, staring into his eyes with his own vampire depths. The tip of his tongue licking away the blood that’s smeared around his mouth. “You want me to spoil you, Ivan?” he asks, fisting the other slowly but firmly when the backs of Ivan’s knees hit the bed.

Ivan pulls Mitchell on top of him as he falls back onto the bed. “I'm yours to do with **as you please,** ” he grins, bucking up against his lover, groaning as his cock is massaged firmly by Mitchell's hand.

Mitchell grins a feral grin at him in his vamped up state and sinks his fangs into Ivan’s neck as he rubs his palm over his cock head. But both are only teasing movements as he swiftly draws back and pulls both their trousers and underwear off. “You’re a very delicious creature,” Mitchell murmurs as he doesn’t bother with the buttons on Ivan’s shirt but rips it apart, sliding his tongue from Ivan’s belly button until up to his chin, leaving a bloody trail. As he devours the other’s mouth anew he grinds their hips and dicks together roughly.

“ **As are you,** ” Ivan moans into Mitchell's mouth. He offers Mitchell's clothes the same treatment he had his, tearing off his bloodied shirt. He nips at the younger man and wraps him close against him.  Feeling. Tasting. Experiencing every cell of Mitchell's being.

Mitchell instantly feels enveloped in the strong, charismatic presence that is Ivan. He loves the older man's fangs piercing his skin in various places of his body. He scratches his own along his lover's torso, loving the friction of their rods one against the other. "Turn on your side," he whispers after long moments of leisurely exploring.

Ivan blinks for a moment. He is used to Daisy’s demands but he is not used to being instructed what to do in the bedroom, let alone by a guy. And yet surrendering to Mitchell, curious about what the man has planned for him, is actually turning him on more. And so he does as requested, closing his eyes in complete trust.

Mitchell slides his hands across Ivan's shoulder blades in admiration, ever so slowly down his lower back, " **Gorgeous,** " he murmurs when his palms massage Ivan's firm globes. He's stunned by the man's trust and clearly indulges in the sensation of having him all to himself. He shuffles down on the bed and first licks Ivan's arse cheeks until he gently pierces the flesh with his fangs here and there.

Ivan has to grab his base to not ejaculate there and then; that sure would be embarrassing. Still, the sensation of Mitchell's fangs sinking into his behind is such delightful torture it makes him howl in pleasure.

“ **Come for me,** ” Mitchell senses what his action triggered and rubs his thumb across the slit on Ivan’s cock head while lapping up the blood on one wound, sucking a little and moving on to the next. **“Don’t hold back.”** He slides the fingers of his other hand teasingly between the mounds of flesh he’s just bitten. He loves how Ivan is trembling under his touch.

“ **No,** ” Ivan says through gritted teeth. He turns his head awkwardly, kissing Mitchell forcefully. “Mmm, your mouth… please. **Suck me.** ”

Mitchell chuckles into Ivan’s mouth and reluctantly abandons his backside, "I'll be coming back to my original plan later." He grins as he clambers across his lover.  He reverently takes the older vampire’s heavy cock into his hand, feeling the cool, erect hardness. He's only done this very briefly before with Daisy accompanying him, so he's very eager to try again. He licks his bloody tongue across it from base to top, relishing in that motion inch by inch. He circles the cockhead slowly, looking up at Ivan as he does so, then sucks it into his mouth quickly. His fangs slightly scratch Ivan’s sensitive skin. He hums delightfully as he tastes Ivan’s precome.

Ivan gasps in reflex as Mitchell scrapes his cock and then throws his head back, groaning. Mitchell’s exploration with his tongue over his slit is overwhelming all his senses. He claws his long fingers into his lover's curls again, guiding the bobbing of his head.

Before he got to know Ivan Mitchell would have never in his wildest dreams thought he’d love sucking another man’s cock. Yet it arouses him greatly. His own dick stands very proud, leaking precome too. But he decides against fisting himself. Instead he slides his hand between Ivan’s thighs and his fingertips caress the insides gently as contrast of his greedy sucking. He’s determined to make his lover see stars from pleasure tonight.

“ **Fuck!** ” Ivan keens. He had had many lovers during his long life. And he loved the sexual pleasure he has shared with each of them. Daisy is a very special treat, insatiable wild creature that she is. Someone who he shares much more with than simple fucking. But Mitchell is something equally special in his very own right. He knows just how to press all the right buttons to have him melt into compliance. And Ivan does not even care anymore that he is completely lost, writhing and moaning shamelessly as he allows Mitchell to work him into a frenzy.

He pushes himself up, fists curled into the sheets, sweat on his brow - when was the last time he had felt that?! He had forgotten his body was even capable of that - when the most explosive orgasm hits him in great gulfs.

Mitchell gags a little at first. He hadn’t expected Ivan to erupt like that from his kind of inexperienced ministrations. He adjusts quickly though, swallowing the unique tasting juice as if it were a human’s blood. Such a gift. His mentor letting go unashamedly, completely. Mitchell groans around his dick, trying to make appreciating noises as he rolls the other’s balls between his fingers, concentrating very hard to not let go himself.

Ivan flops back down onto the bed when he has nothing more left to give, panting even if his lungs don't require it, because it somehow feels good. He is both impressed and grateful that Mitchell still has those beautiful lips wrapped around his member and he groans appreciatively. “Wow,” he mutters in the language of the time. “That  was… very special.”

Mitchell smirks, wiping his hand across his mouth. “It was, indeed,” he sits up, wrapping his hand around his own cock, covering it in the remains of Ivan’s juice. “Tastes better than any meal.” Mitchell looks at his lover, covered in a fine sheen of sweat. The many bite marks in various stages of healing, only the drying blood remaining. “I want to …” Mitchell was about to say _fuck you now._ But thinks better of it as he leans in again for another deep kiss. “I want to make love to you, Ivan.” His hand finds the way between the other’s legs again and he rubs the tip of his moist middle finger across Ivan’s pucker.

Ivan nods, spreading his legs just a little wider. The world has stopped turning for that moment in a dimension in which only Mitchell exists. Dangerous John Mitchell. Forever frozen in youthful lethal beauty. Herrick's child. King vampire in training. Their fates intertwined, but not the same. But for this moment alone he can ignore all of that. Right now Mitchell is simply his lover.

"I ache for you, my mentor," Mitchell murmurs into Ivan’s ear when he moves behind him again and they both lie on their sides. He nips at the older man’s short hair line and further down his neck as he ever so slowly circles Ivan’s entrance, pushing in just an inch now and then. He wants the other to go crazy for it, wants him to beg for his cock just as he does for Ivan’s. He knows Ivan had enjoyed their first time and Mitchell is determined to make him feel even better tonight. His tongue makes his way across his earlobe and behind his ear, exploring, playing, studying his lover’s reactions.

“ **Don't tease!** ”

Ivan growls at Mitchell as he sets his body on fire. Every touch makes Ivan want more.

“ **Mitchell!** ”

“ **No teasing then,”** Mitchell’s dark side is intrigued by the Old One’s and he chuckles into his ear, pressing his cock head against Ivan’s slightly open rose, “ **Better?”** he pushes a little, “You feel delicious.” He moans, the sensation of sensitive skin against sensitive skin sends tremors through his whole being.

“ **Yessss,** ” Ivan hisses in approval. A few months ago he would not have even considered letting another vampire do this to him. Now he cannot wait to feel Mitchell inside of him, stretching him, filling him. Once more he has to remind himself to stay in the moment. To just enjoy what's happening right now. “Nice. Very very nice.”

Mitchell sighs, holding back the overwhelming urge to sink his fangs and cock into Ivan all at once. The other’s words make him push inside very slowly. His cock has never been better stimulated. He groans loudly at the intense friction. His hand sneaks to the front of his lover’s body and he fondles his balls and spent dick, just because he can. “ **Ivan…”**

That feeling of his body surrendering to Mitchell's intrusion to accommodate that lovely sleek cock sends blood back into his own dick, aided by lover's hand.

He pushes back to meet Mitchell's inward push until they are joined completely.

“ **FUCK!”** Mitchell’s fangs tingle and his cock is very close to erupting into that hot body but he wants it to last. He doesn’t want to come yet. He starts to move steadily, back and forth, just slightly, inhaling Ivan’s arousal. He scraps his vein with his fangs, only nipping, “You want to turn on your back? Fuck, you feel perfect.”

“Yes. **YES!** ” Ivan responds eagerly, wanting to see the pleasure burn in Mitchell's dark eyes.

Mitchell pulls out and gives Ivan space to move. When he’s spread out in front of him, he slides his hands onto the backs of his thighs and stares at the now wide open entrance of his lover’s body, not believing that he’s allowed to do this. That this incredible man lets Mitchell own him, be part of him. He shuffles forward and sinks himself into that scorching heat again, locking his vampire gaze with Ivan’s as he does so, biting his own lower lip with his fangs as his heavy erection is tightly enveloped again.

Ivan pulls Mitchell against him once more, seeking his mouth. The penetration is deep now, even deeper when he tilts his pelvis a little. He grunts deeply, giving himself totally to the younger man.

“ **Come in me. Beautiful John Mitchell.** ”

He bares his fangs at his pupil, running his tongue along his bottom lip.

The small movement of Ivan’s lower body pulls Mitchell in even more and he throws his head back and howls as he hits his climax in Ivan’s tight channel, his dick in his fist. “ **Love you!”** he groans on the height of his ecstasy. He presses into Ivan just that bit further as he bends forward and sinks his fangs into the nape of his neck, seeking the perfect vampire orgasm. His own body covered in sweat now too, trembling and shaking.

Ivan goes rigid under the pleasurable assault. He loves that instinctive urge to want to throw the younger vampire across the room for attacking him whilst at the same time the pain adds a whole new level of pleasure that makes him squirm against Mitchell's body.

“ **Bite me!”** Mitchell demands as he’s sucked his fill out of Ivan, still bucking into him, groaning with pleasure.

Ivan rolls the both of them over in one swift movement, coming apart and pinning Mitchell underneath him as he buries his fangs into his artery without hesitation. The mix of old and new blood flows into his hungry mouth as he pulls his lover hard against him.

“ **Fuck! Yes! Yes please!”** Mitchell is completely gone now with the older vampire on top of him, sucking his blood out of him with abandon. He spreads his legs wide, feeling the urge now to have Ivan buried inside of him to the hilt.

“ **My beautiful pupil,** ” Ivan kisses Mitchell fiercely, smearing the blood over his lips. He feels blessed for once that the demon inside him grants him such stamina and he pushes Mitchell's legs even further apart. Mitchell arches up when he enters him. He takes it slower now than when they first fucked but the younger vampire does not complain when he does not allow him as much time to accommodate him as he had in turn.

A truly animalistic sound escapes Mitchell’s throat as he’s being taken forcefully by his lover. His clear mind is gone as he’s filled up by that gorgeous dick. He grabs for Ivan’s arse to push him in even more, greedy, as if it might be the last time he’s feeling this close to his mentor. He bares his throat, offering Ivan everything he’s got. “ **Yours, all yours!”**

The total submission by the young vampire is delightful. Ivan accepts that invitation greedily, biting at Mitchell's throat again and again. Not to drink per se but simply to offer stimulation beyond the simple pleasures of humankind. One much deeper, one of intense trust.

He rides into his willing lover with abandon, his cock aching again as he is pulled into that tight channel.

Mitchell’s cock is reawakening by Ivan's sensuous stimulation. Each bite to his throat sends electricity through all of his limbs and he grabs the other's' biceps to hold on to. When his prostate gets hit repeatedly, he feels his climax building quickly again. " **Mark me! Ivan!"** He tries to hold back, waiting for his lover to spill into him.

Ivan does not have much left to give. His body is quick to restore itself but not that quick! Nonetheless he grunts and groans as Mitchell milks every last drop from his pulsing cock, slapping into that delightfully tight hole of his.

Mitchell comes again without touching himself, only on Ivan’s cock. On the incredible, unworldly sounds, on the state of dishevelling the normally immaculate looking Ivan is in. His hair hanging loosely into his forehead, his mouth and body smeared with blood, his eyes dark, his features in a state of utter bliss. Mitchell pulls him into his arms and holds tight. The reversed position to the one in which they collapsed together last time.

Ivan brushes Mitchell's hair back, nuzzling his bloody stubble. This feels way too comfortable, but he embraces the moment. “Thank you,” he mutters into his lover’s ear as he slips out of his comfort zone. He strokes the younger man's delicious body, letting his hands run down his cool skin until his hand wraps around his spent wet dick. “My lover.”

 _My lover._ Mitchell repeats the words in his head and smiles. He cards his fingers through Ivan’s messed up hair. He realises that he’d been waiting for him to say _I love you_ too but that’s foolish thinking on his part.

He chuckles a little about himself and responds softly, “You’re welcome and thank you, my lover too.” He slides his hand gently across Ivan’s backside and snorts, “That was remarkable, Mr Prochazka.”

Ivan grins, pleased with that praise. “Indeed. You are remarkable, Mr Mitchell.” He raises his head a little and smiles a bloody smile at the younger vampire. He pulls Mitchell closer into his embrace. “Did you enjoy tonight?” he asks, curious that he cares that much to know whether the other had.

At that Mitchell laughs warmly, “I think all those strange noises that made it out of my mouth were proof enough for that.” He takes Ivan’s face into his hands and says huskily, “I enjoyed every part of it, Ivan. Very much so.” He kisses the other uncharacteristically softly.

“I meant all of it,” Ivan breathes against Mitchell's lips. “The theatre and the dinner too?” He wants to hear Mitchell say it, so that he can rest peacefully in the knowledge that he has left the intended impression on his lover.

“Yes,” Mitchell brushes their lips together again. “The opera, the extraordinary veal, your company and you trusting me with your life story…” He trails off caressing Ivan’s stubbly cheek with his fingertips. “You made me a different person, Ivan.” He isn’t sure if it would be wise to say that out loud but he feels so comfortable right now that he let it slip, drowning in Ivan’s piercing eyes.

“Good.” _Better than good!_ More than he had dared hope for. “But all I've done is make you find yourself, Mitchell. Take Herrick's lessons. You're part of his tribe. But you are also an individual. Be yourself, Mitchell.” He strokes his large hand along Mitchell's stubbly jawline. “Remember that.”

Mitchell thinks about it for a moment, combined with what he learned from Ivan tonight. How important a tribe is, even though he had recently had the urge to break away from his own. Maybe that’s not such a good idea after all. “I will,” he answers to both, that he’ll remember it and that he’ll be his own individual, not just Herrick’s puppet.

“Let's sleep then, prince vampire,” Ivan smiles into Mitchell's dark brown eyes.

Mitchell smiles back, “I’m still working on that one,” he rolls them around so they lie on their sides, facing each other. “It’s harder than I thought, but after this session I think I may be able to sleep a little.” He takes Ivan’s hand and lies it against his chest, where normally his heart would beat.

+++

Despite Mitchell's words the young vampire is fast asleep when Ivan pulls on his trousers.

He watches the serenity in Mitchell's face. Except for the remnants dried blood in his stubble he looks perfectly human and very young still. Ivan lets his eyes roam over that well shaped body. The bedsheets have ridden down and hint at the delight that is barely hidden underneath. He struggles to tear his eyes away, but he knows he must hurry. The sunrise is only an hour away and he does not want his lover to wake.

When he has buttoned up his shirt he walks back up to the bed and bends himself low to press a very light kiss to his lips.

“Goodbye John Mitchell,” he whispers. “Until our paths cross again.”

He pulls on his coat and wraps his scarf around his neck. He throws one last glance at his lover and then leaves the apartment silently, pushing away the human emotions that churn inside of him when he thinks about how Mitchell will react to his vampiric decision. _You have no choice_ , he reminds himself. _He's not yours to mourn and this is not your life to live. Let him go._


	7. Epilogue

Mitchell isn't surprised that Ivan is gone when he wakes up; he is kind of used to Ivan doing his own thing now. He smiles as memories of their steamy night flood his brain. Mitchell curls up in the sheets, dozing a while longer, inhaling Ivan's scent.

But as the days go by and he doesn't see anything of Daisy, who normally approaches him way earlier than Ivan, he starts to get worried. Initially he does not do anything because he knows Ivan doesn't like to be disturbed when he isn't in the mood. But as days stretch into weeks he can hold himself together no more and makes his way towards Old Town.

As Mitchell he leans against a tree in the graveyard near Ivan's and Daisy's place, waiting, hoping to catch a glimpse of either of them, a very unpleasant churn in his gut. _Did something happen to them? Or...No, he wouldn't leave without saying a word. Or would he? Why is he avoiding me? Surely he loved the sex as much as I did._

After two weeks of senseless waiting his anxiety and anger have grown so strong that he finally marches up to their door and knocks forcefully.

“You!” Elias blinks hard as he finds the vampire he had met a couple of months ago staring back at him.

Mitchell does a double take, blinking, wondering about the strange greeting. He steps back a little to see the man better in the moonlight and that’s when he recognises him. “You!” He pokes the prostitute in the chest and shoves him inside, closing the door behind them. “I want to speak to Ivan.” _Why is he out of the cellar? He’s still human. Does Ivan prefer his company now over mine?_

“He's not here,” Elias blurts out as he flinches when his back hits the wall. His adrenaline kicks in, his brain wondering whether to fight or flee, but he does neither.

“Are you his servant now? When will he be back?” Mitchell knows he sounds desperate and he hates himself for it. He towers over the smaller human, feeling they guy’s fear flare.

“Back?” Elias’ eyes flick from side to side, looking for escape. Or a weapon… He realises that this monster does not know that Ivan is no longer here and he senses the rage that boils so closely under the vampire's surface. He instinctively knows that what he reveals next may seal his fate.

_He planned this!_

He begins to laugh softly as it suddenly all makes sense and he realises just how cleverly Ivan has played this game. _You are his pawn, doing his dirty work when he didn't have the guts for it himself._ “He won't be back,” he laughs in Mitchell's face. _Fuck you!_ All these lies. The pretence of granting him his freedom. Of even telling him he could _live_ here! Only to feed him to his lover as a parting gift. He had been a fool, he can see that now. But so has this other vampire. “He's gone. Him and his wife,” he sneers. 

“What do you mean, gone?” Mitchell has a very hard time to comprehend what this whore is telling him. He shifts and grasps Elias’ throat, squeezing. “Where?” he asks stupidly, his mind suddenly very clouded.

Elias claws at the vampire's wrist, struggling to get air into his lungs. He shakes his head as much as the chokehold allows him until the vampire lets go, dropping him down on the floor. “Gone,” he gasps, his hand on his hurt throat. “I … He didn't tell me where. But I think,” he tries to scramble to his feet again, “I heard him say something about Korea…”

“ **Korea**?!” Mitchell feels like the floor is opening up beneath him, like all his hopes and dreams, his whole life gets swallowed by it. “ **Fucking Korea!”** _He LEFT me. He left me without a fucking word! Telling me all these things how he lost his true love and then he just leaves!_ Mitchell starts to shake with rage and he pulls Elias up by his hair again. “Why didn’t he kill you? Why are you in his house?”

“You don't get it?” Elias laughs out loud now. If he's going to die tonight then he'll make sure he has the last laugh. He'll tell this fool exactly what kind of a monster he appears to adore like a god! “I didn't get it either,” he hisses. “Why he would keep me alive for all those months. And then, when he finally unlocked the door he told me I could live here after they'd gone. That he'd even paid the rent for another two months! It sounded too good to be true. And of course it fucking was. He's played us both for fools! He didn't tell you he was leaving, did he?” He laughs again, when he sees the confused look on the handsome vampire’s face. “It was only when you turned up that I realised. He's left it to me to tell you, because he didn't have the balls for it himself!”

Mitchell stares at Elias wide eyed, “And why am I to believe you, hm?” _It makes sense though._

“Because he left me here as a farewell gift for you to find, that fucking bastard!” Elias snarls back. He sees Mitchell shift and knows instinctively that his life is slipping away from him. He backs further away but then has a change of heart. He will not go down like a cowering child. He knows that he cannot fight the vampire and that fleeing is impossible. And so instead he straightens himself and bares his throat in defiance. “Enjoy then!” he hisses with a sneer. “Just know that I too enjoyed his cock up my arse!” he adds the final blow though.

That does it. Mitchell sees completely red and attacks, ripping the guy’s throat out to silence him. He feels betrayed on so many levels he doesn’t even enjoy the human blood. Instead he throws the lifeless body of Elias back into the hallway. His mind and body are in utter turmoil _._ He rages, grabbing random furniture and slams it against the wall, into the mirror, out of the window.

_FUCKING LIAR! MOVED! BLOODY FUCKING MOVED! To fucking KOREA! Without telling me a thing! BASTARD! I'M SO GOING TO KILL YOU WHENEVER I SEE YOU AGAIN MR PROCHAZKA! How dare you betray me like THAT!_

“Well well,” Herrick slowly takes off his gloves as he steps over the broken glass. “The Old One’s nest, am I right?” he smirks at Mitchell, pleased with himself that he had finally been able to track Mitchell down here, after so many months.   

Mitchell whips his head around at his maker’s voice. He had been so caught up in his despair and rage that he hadn't sense him approach. He shakes his head. _Not anymore._ He steels himself. Not wanting Herrick to see how upset he truly is. “Was just looking for some fancy dinner,” he unnecessarily points to the guy on the floor.

Herrick raises an eyebrow at the destruction around them. He can guess that Mitchell was not here for the human meal bleeding out on the floor, but rather for Daisy. “Don't bother, she's gone,” he says coolly, as he kneels by the boy. He knows Ivan's ways well enough to know that he never stays in one place for very long. And he also knows that that means Mitchell’s attention will be focused on him again from now on.

“Well?” he looks up at his protégé. “Don't waste it,” he dips his fingers in the still warm blood and lets his fangs drop. “ **Enjoy!** ”

As Mitchell kneels down beside Herrick, his words proof that Elias didn’t lie, he becomes aware of the fact that he’ll also miss Daisy, his friend, his sister, his other lover, badly.

_Fuck it!_ he thinks as he sinks his fangs into Elias’ neck, the man he saved from being killed before. He lets the human blood wash away all these useless thoughts of love and trust.

+++

After a few days of being back in his usual routine, he’s able to think about Ivan’s behaviour a bit more clearly.

It is not necessarily the fact that Mitchell had learned Ivan was fucking another man beside him, that hurts most. It clearly hurt, but not the most. But the fact that he’d made him believe he’d be there for him to guide him, to have their intellectual conversations whenever he had enough of Herrick’s and their fledglings company and now he wasn’t, that hurt more.

Ivan had been the first he learned to trust and then he’d betrayed him in the worst way. Mitchell may have even understood that he had to leave him, that he and Daisy had to move on. But leaving without a word? After such a special night that almost made him believe Ivan was in love with him too? That has got to be the hardest punch he’s ever felt.

Herrick clearly values him more than Ivan ever did.

So falling in love? Showing feelings? Never again!

+++

Daisy dances around in their small private cabin of the train, so very very excited that they started another journey again. Of course she has been a little sad that they had had to leave Mitchell behind without saying goodbye, but that's vampire life. He'll get over it and maybe, some day they might meet again.

She jumps on Ivan's lap and kisses him passionately.

Ivan smiles brightly as he pulls her further up his lap. His Daisy always knows how to lighten his mood. He too is excited about their new adventure. He had never been to Asia before and he cannot wait to add that one to his list.

And yet for the first time in his life there is a flutter of regret. He simply cannot help thinking about Mitchell no matter how hard he tries. He wonders what he is up to. Whether he's gone to his old house already and found his goodbye present. He even wonders if Mitchell would have fucked Elias or just killed him but he knows that's just masochistic thinking.

It doesn't matter now anyway. The barren landscape of the Siberian plains is shooting past the window, moving them further away from Prague at speed.

He pulls his attention back to his wife, returning her passionate kisses. “My beautiful wicked woman,” he nips at her lips, kneading her soft backside. “I love you, Dais.” It just comes out like that.

Daisy's eyes grow wide as he declares his love for her. She's completely stunned and grows uncharacteristically silent, taking his face into her hands firmly, looking into his gorgeous eyes. She swallows and whispers, "And I love you, Ivan Prochazka." She kisses him very tenderly. _This is even better than our wedding ceremony. And here I thought he had fallen for Mitchell._

Ivan doesn't know why he had made such a big deal out of this before. Because it feels good and perfectly right to say it and hear his wife say it back to him. All those evenings talking to Mitchell and to Elias must have chipped away at his hard shell without even realising it; letting go of the past and looking to the future. Between them they've opened his eyes to what really matters in this long and dark life. And that there is still space for another in his still heart.

“I love you,” he says again, tasting the word on his tongue like a fine wine. He takes her hand and kisses the ring on her finger. “You and me, forever, poppet.”

A tear of joy spills out of the corner of her eye as her husband shows such rare emotions. She can only nod her head vigorously since her voice is gone and she wraps her arms and legs around him never wanting to let go again.

The adventure with John Mitchell had been thrilling and new and fun, but now she's more than happy to have Ivan all to herself again.


End file.
